Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2 Episodes 2x15-16 "Pen Pals" & "Q Who"

[@redemption2]

Fun fact #1. Wil Wheaton, even 30 years later, felt obligated to ask for permission to sit in the big chair when he visited the set, so he texted Johnathan Frakes for permission, who texted him back saying "Mr. Crusher, the ship is yours."

[@CourtReacts-zm9yv]

I love that!

[@noahrobin1941]

Something I never noticed before: @6:42, Pulaski says “Data’s friend is going to die”, and goes on to defend her position when Worf objects. That’s quite a shift in her opinions regarding Data.

[@jeraldkimling1960]

Q..... said it before, He's kind of like Loki; not evil, but his lessons aren't painless.

[@signedbookcollector3408]

@16:49 I’ve seen this episode dozens of times. Your response “ ma’am ,ma’am hands off the captain “ made me laugh for a good minute. Thank you I needed a good laugh

[@miguelvelez7221]

The Borg... And so Q inadvertently introduces the Enlightened Knights of the 24th Century to their own Galactic Black Plague.

[@BarebonesNetwork-w3s]

For me, the "Q Who" episode is the one that turned me into a fan of the series. I also liked the way the Borg looked and acted. Each borg had some differences in the way they looked.

[@neneshubby]

The introduction of one of the most formidable enemies in the history of Star Trek

[@rmccombs66]

We have engaged the Borg!

[@alexanderjoseph2462]

@@rmccombs66 Sounds Swedish

[@datacipher]

Not even close. Species 8472, the organians (though neither friend nor enemy), trelane, the Q continuum, heck even Gary Mitchell was more formidable. Then of course there are the Arena alien, the Charlie X aliens, the alien who destroyed the Douwd, and many others who were antagonists in at least one episode.

[@TechyMantis]

One of the most formidable in scifi history

[@neneshubby]

@@datacipher Come on man, do I really have to explain this? I’m not talking about the most powerful beings, or one off villains. I’m talking about enemies of the Federation as a whole, the Klingons, the Romulans, the Ferengi, the Cardassians, etc.

[@jonbolton3376]

To be fair when Jim Kirk was Captain we know he lost a lot of red shirts in his five year mission, but never 18 in one go.

[@tofersiefken]

I really like the way Data's character continues to grow, become more complex, and develops his own version of "humanity" in episodes like Pen Pals.

[@martinfehringer6408]

So now you know the Borg :D

[@rexmundi2986]

This episode makes me appreciate Pulaski. When says "Data 's friend is going to die", it shows how much she's starting to accept Data as is. I mean, she's still not as awesome as Beverly, but people are overly negative to her, in my opinion.

[@antifableach]

The Borg exist in the Delta quadrant of the Milky Way galaxy and the Federation is in the Alpha and Beta quadrant with the Klingons, Cardssians and the Romulans.

[@no_rubbernecking]

I'm surprised to find you apparently have never heard of the Borg, since they've long since entered the general lexicon quite outside of any sci fi context. But it's great to see a reaction through fresh eyes, almost 36 _years_ after the fact! Well done. Edit: BtW, i saw this episode the day it premiered, and i still remember it like it was yesterday! That's how impactful it has been on our lives and our civilization.

[@SJHFoto]

I don't think a lot of Americans knew of them at the time, but when I first saw this (in Canada), I WAS impressed with the Borg, but they are a lot like the Cybermen (from Dr Who) The stealing of that idea kind of bothered me

[@no_rubbernecking]

@SJHFoto That's understandable, and you're right, i've never of them, mainly bc i've just never managed to like Dr. Who enough to stick with it. Thank you for the tip. Maybe i'll give it another try.

[@SJHFoto]

@@no_rubbernecking It's different now. I grew up with Dr Who in the 70s and 80s. But either way, like them or not, the Borg have a lot in common with the Cybermen

[@quoniam426]

In fact, here, Q did Humanity a favor by introducing us to the Borg...

[@smadaf]

Worf: "She cannot ask for help from someone she does not know." Let's fire all the 911 dispatchers, then.

[@shawbros]

There is a difference. Dispatchers are just people that we know do exist, but we do not know personally. The kid was asking for help from what might as well have been gods to her.

[@smadaf]

@@shawbros , when your parents give you a walkie-talkie, CB radio, ham radio, a computer that can go online and engage you in web-chat, or a telephone, do you think the people you talk to through such a tool are gods? Data was to her a person she met through a tool she used for normal electronic communication in her society: why would she think he was a god, instead of just another unseen, far-off person who talked with her through her radio? Most people who engage in two-way electronic talk don't assume the person at the other end is a god. ("There is a difference. Dispatchers are just people that we know do exist, but we do not know personally. The kid was asking for help from what might as well have been gods to her.")

[@shawbros]

@@smadaf Disregard. I was going off of vague memory of this from watching bits and pieces from years ago. Will have to watch it through properly.

[@stevenbigness8267]

Picard could have just headed home, and those 18 people might not have died. But his curiosity to explore got them killed. Guinan even told him, " if I were you, I'd start back now" Picard learned a hard lesson in this episode indeed. The lesson that the unknowns of space can be dangerous and you can't always instantly be ready for what lies ahead, it takes time to learn sometimes.

[@oxhine]

Hey, Courtney! The Borg are kind of a really big deal in Star Trek. Important episode.

[@benjauron5873]

The thing about the Prime Directive is, the proper implementation of it varies based on who wrote the individual episode.

[@tulinfirenze1990]

Your reactions are a highlight of my week! You have such a lovely presence and your observations are wonderful. Can't believe how fast you're moving through the series and please know the best is yet to come!

[@retromillenium]

The Borg made there pre-introduction in the season 1 finale "Neutral Zone". They're the ones who destroyed the Federation and Romulan outposts along the Neutral Zone. If you listen to the dialog in this episode, they made a reference to it when describing the damage done to the planet's surface matching the damage to the Neutral Zone outposts.

[@tulinfirenze1990]

@@retromillenium A lot of people will reference the outposts that were scooped out on planets along the Neutral Zone, in the first season finale "The Neutral Zone" as being caused by the Borg and yes, this was the theory at the time. I would say however this makes no sense. Q's pre-emptive exposure of the Federation to the Borg (by sending the Enterprise thousands of lights away and into Borg space) and vice versa meant this was the first time the Borg had exposure to the Federation. Plus, had they been as close to the Federation (and Earth) as "The Neutral Zone" theory would posit, they'd already be within striking distance of Earth and Q's early introduction of both forces to each other would be redundant. I've seen this rumour floated countless times over the decades but the events of "Q Who" means it makes NO sense.

[@retromillenium]

@@tulinfirenze1990 The Neutral Zone connection is not a rumor. It was directly referenced by Data in the episode. As far as it not making sense, it actually makes a lot of sense. The Borg may or may not have encountered a Federation ship at the point of "Q Who?", but one of their smaller scout ships could have easily been in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, encountered the outposts, and destroyed them in the process of assimilation. They could have been well aware of the Federation's and Romulan's existence at that point. Borg territory is in the Delta Quadrant, far away from the Federation, and there are still a lot of the Delta Quadrant left for them to deal with, so sending more ships may not have been a priority to them. However, that all changed when Q flung the Enterprise toward the Borg. Now the Fed are on their doorstep, yet even then, because the Federation is so far away, they only send one Cube not a fleet. It makes perfect sense too me.

[@williamrosmer8381]

I don't think the lesson would have been as impactful without 18 people dead

[@richardspears6849]

-Welcome to the Borg arc!!! The Borg really came at the end of season one. This arc does not end really!!!! Sonja Gomez's story continues in a series of novels about Starfleet Engineers.

[@TheTrmetzgar]

Q is basically a God so the fact the he even bothers with humans at all should be a blessing. Why should he care about a few human lives, to an omnipotent being time is not relative, to him they may not even be born yet or could have died long ago. He present himself as a tough love teacher and I like that.

[@chrismacias305]

LT Sonya Gomez was also in Total Recall as the lady at the bar.

[@mikemuir0178]

The 18 people lost was only a sample to how destructive the Borg really are. The Borg represents the federation's most lethal enemy. Do you remember the episode "The Neutral Zone" that showed the Romulans for the first time. Guess who wiped out the Federation and Romulan colonies.

[@petej7136]

Picard is an epic character, the whole series has so many moments about using good judgement, problem solving, humility, leadership, and pearls of wisdom, as crazy as it sounds, I really think having grown up watching this show made me a better person than I would have been if I didn't. The Borg are the biggest adversary in all of Star Trek, there was a big-screen movie with them and this TNG cast, but I think it doesn't take place until after season 6 or 7. We do see them again in this series, but we really get to know them well in the latter seasons of ST Voyager.

[@SJHFoto]

80s 3 father figures are Picard, Optimus Prime, and Bill Cosby (I know, but he WAS a father figure from the Cosby show before all the madness)

[@JoeCensored]

Finally Q Who, the first of many great TNG episodes.

[@MaestroDrake]

Today, if this aired, the Borg momentum would have moved quicker.

[@ammaleslie509]

The first? Measure of a Man was a few episodes ago...! Or did you mean the first of the series of great Borg episodes?

[@SJHFoto]

27:00 It was neat how they put the helmet and light on the baby. Effective with minimal costuming (as a baby needed to be comfortable), and still it was terrifying. I remember watching this episode when it first came out with my friends. It really was memorable!

[@persephonebasilissa5109]

Yes, I grew up a horse girl! We rode western, mostly trail rides in the hills where we lived plus a little trick riding and barrel racing for excitement. But also lots of just walking with them and grooming them, just like our other pets.

[@alanbayles1218]

'They are coming..." Still sends a chill down my spine, now knowing at what comes next.

[@tulinfirenze1990]

Yup.

[@EVAUnit4A]

12:45 Episodes centering around the Prime Directive can be difficult to define, _even when written well,_ but the long and the short of it is basically a question of interfering with Fate or Destiny of another culture and/or species _with malicious intent._ The idea of the Prime Directive goes back to _TOS,_ and at that time it referred to things like the Korean and Vietnam Wars, as well as the westward push of a young America _against_ the Natives already living there, and many other historical damaging or cleansing of races/cultures. (Not enslavement specifically, although that can also be a factor.) And so, Starfleet's General Order #1 (i.e. the "Prime Directive") is there to _prevent_ such needless and bloody atrocities from happening _again_ for whatever reason. It also exists to prevent things like... - the exchange of higher-advanced technology used by a 'lower' species, which could lead to the point of _unintended_ self-annihilation - an outside force taking advantage of a 'lower' species - cultural contamination, which would create a fundamental shift in that culture's outlook on itself and/or the Universe _beyond_ that point of interference ...and _these are_ proper usages of a PD episode. Now, as far as the _TNG_ episode "Pen Pals" is concerned, _in my opinion_ this is not the first time where a PD episode kinda gets used _incorrectly:_ to justify the heroes being forced _by law_ to sit back and watch Mother Nature take its course on an innocent/ignorant race (and- NO SPOILERS- it won't be the last time this type of episode crops-up either)- the purpose being the audience gets to cringe and yell at the TV for said heroes to do something, _anything!_ Such poorly-utilized PD episodes can certainly cloud a newcomer's vision as to what exactly the Prime Directive is used for. _Yes-_ every sentient aboard the _Enterprise-D wants to help,_ but the fear is that merely stepping-in to help will create cultural contamination _after_ the emergency is over. They may save the planet and its biosphere, but the contamination -may- _will_ alter the native species' perspective for potentially negative side-effects, including (but not limited to) self-annihilation... and _that is where_ the Prime Directive can rear its somewhat-convoluted head.

[@tulinfirenze1990]

I've been waiting for this one!

[@lexiburrows8127]

Me too. I think lots of us have.

[@shallowgal462]

"Pen Pals" is one of my favorite season 2 episodes and an all-time favorite Data episode. You have met the Borg. This is big. Dr. Pulaski defended Data having emotion in "Pen Pals."

[@darkskythe1979]

You finally made it to Q Who? 🎉😊 this is the ultimate game changer. Your going to feel the the ripples of this episode throughout not just this show but through the rest of Star Trek Universe. The TOS era is as the old west."the wagon train to the stars." Kirk's era during the movies was like the Nepolianic period with the uniforms and battles with Khan as well as the Klingongs. The Next Geniration era is "Golden Age of Starfleet" when humanity reached it's Pinnacle of technology. "We got kicked in our Complacency" a phrase that Picard mention was so true. The Borg were slowly introduced to the series. If you remember the episode with the humans that they found Cryogenically frozen, the Romulans Mentioned their outpost disappearing, that was the Borg.🤩 the writing will start to get better as well as the crew feeling more like work family. I liked the interaction between Q and Guinan, it's like two parents talking about what's best for this child moment. I look forward to your vids every weekend. Thank you.

[@MrTbk1701]

Welcome to the Borg. Resistance is futile.🖖🖖❤️

[@dbitgood1]

That lovable rogue, Q! Gotta love him!

[@dgthe3]

10:55 Who is that guy? Worf's human doppelganger. Almost everyone on the main crew has a such a person on board, and you can usually spot one or two per episode.

[@DaveTingwaldd]

Sonya talked like she was constipated. LOL

[@Semaj4747]

Q Who: Here it is. This is the episode that people were hinting at in your comment section. The Borg showed up, off-screen, in the season finale of S1. Remember those outposts being scooped up? Ron Jones brings us another great score. Check out some of his Family Guy scores as well. The Borg will be critical to the entire universe from now on. “They will be coming.” Indeed. Side note: The Borg were supposed to be connected to bug parasites that invaded SF. This connection was dropped when they changed the Borg from insects to space zombie hackers/hoarders. Note the shields on the second Borg. Also, please take note that the first Borg died, and the second Borg took parts of it. The dead Borg turns to ash. They will be very important. Now you see why people like Q. Everything Q does will cause a major chain reaction. The Feds now are aware of a greater enemy. If Q hated us, why would he have done that? Now only that, Q is acting alone on alerting us of the Borg. That shows a bit of character growth. You will also notice Q acts a bit more rogue in this episode. Where did he get that from? Q is neither a hero nor a villain, but he has changed in views of humanity. There are other threats out there too, and Q just gave us a kick in the butt to be careful. I’m just saying… Guinan and Q had some dealings two centuries ago. Does that line up with something else back then? I honestly don’t know if the math lines up.

[@kennethlee494]

200 years ago would be around the time of Archer's Enterprise.

[@Semaj4747]

@@kennethlee494 thanks. I guess the writers of that spinoff S2 show could not get that right. It would make more sense if Q said three centuries ago.

[@tulinfirenze1990]

A lot of people will reference the outposts that were scooped out on planets along the Neutral Zone, in the first season finale "The Neutral Zone" as being caused by the Borg and yes, this was the theory at the time. I would say however this makes no sense. Q's pre-emptive exposure of the Federation to the Borg (by sending the Enterprise thousands of lights away and into Borg space) and vice versa meant this was the first time the Borg had exposure to the Federation. Plus, had they been as close to the Federation (and Earth) as "The Neutral Zone" theory would posit, they'd already be within striking distance of Earth and Q's early introduction of both forces to each other would be redundant. I've seen this rumour floated countless times over the decades but the events of "Q Who" means it makes NO sense.

[@Semaj4747]

@@tulinfirenze1990 I agree with you. It doesn’t make sense. However, Hurley, who isn’t a good person for certain reasons, wanted a long-running arc with the Borg, back when they were insects. He and the writers wanted to have certain arcs run through season 2, but thanks to the writers’ strike, most of their ideas were thrown out. Could they have connected the Borg more closely to the outposts? Probably, but they had to shift gears thanks to the shorter season and the strike messing things up. Now, without spoiling things for Court, certain things can explain this more thanks to retro-continuity and certainly reveals in the future. I have to be extremely careful how much I reveal here. Perhaps, the Borg already knew about the Feds before? “Time” plays games with things. Without retro-spoilers, my theory is that the Borg always knew about the Feds and Roms and just did a touch-and-go scooping up of the outposts. Due to “inside” information from the past, they weren’t sure how powerful the leading powers were. Now, if the Borg were still bugs, and were connected to those mind-controlling parasites,

[@tulinfirenze1990]

@@Semaj4747 I hear you, however I'm not a fan of retro-fitting and doing mental gymnastics because the writers and producers (for whatever reasons) couldn't make things work. If they don't fit together, they just don't fit together. If the Borg HAD scooped up those colonies along TNZ, they'd have uploaded everything from their computers and INSTANTLY known the entirety of what the UFP was (and by extension, all of its enemies, too). Plus, that would mean they'd ARRIVED already. They cannot simultaneously be completely unaware of the UFP and thousands of light years away while at the same time be FULLY aware of us and be HERE. It just doesn't fit.

[@marktheunitedstatescitezen185]

Q was like The Consciouslara for the Mob / La -Cosa -Nostra of the Galaxy !

[@MaestroDrake]

"Until when? Until the 24th century?"

[@douglasdavis8395]

Court, I don't know if you look up actors/characters from each episode, but Sarjenka is played by Nikki Cox.

[@hawkmaster381]

25:50. Just like us when we get on the Internet. There is no discernible difference.

[@Semaj4747]

Q Who was going to be the vertex connection. This episode was supposed to be tied to Time squared

[@tomiwilliams4273]

I think Q thinks of Captain Picard as a favorite pet, of couse Q has little empathy for lifeforms, but he seems to care about Picard...

[@gcs6215]

The Borg are no opponents, and by the time Sonia Gomes warms up in her own captain's chair, the Borg will be dealt with. 😎

[@SJHFoto]

11:00 It's just a random extra. Did you think Picard didn't trust Data and would have someone tail the girl?

[@tulinfirenze1990]

A lot of people will reference the outposts that were scooped out on planets along the Neutral Zone, in the first season finale "The Neutral Zone" as being caused by the Borg and yes, this was the theory at the time. I would say however this makes no sense. Q's pre-emptive exposure of the Federation to the Borg (by sending the Enterprise thousands of lights away and into Borg space) and vice versa meant this was the first time the Borg had exposure to the Federation. Plus, had they been as close to the Federation (and Earth) as "The Neutral Zone" theory would posit, they'd already be within striking distance of Earth and Q's early introduction of both forces to each other would be redundant. I've seen this rumour floated countless times over the decades but the events of "Q Who" means it makes NO sense.

[@ChrisS-no3ft]

I love "Pen Pals". Sarczenka (sp?) is so cute. "Q Who"...We've never seen anything like this before. Its a dark episode, and the Borg are just plain frightening. Court, I'm sure you agree! Now we know who destroyed the bases for them and the Romulans in "The Neutral Zone".That second Borg in Engineering that, when they fire at it and it does nothing, turns slowly and looks at them in a very creepy way with those black eyes.....makes my skin crawl. Anyone else have that reaction? This took Star Trek to a whole new f-ing level! Say what you will about Maurice Hurley, He created the Borg, and wrote a terrifying episode. Very creative. The Borg are beyond anything in Trek history. A hive of bees. You leave them alone, they ignore you. But you interfere, and they come alive. Its just a scary life form. Ron Jones's score is appropriately eerie, and its a great action packed episode. And then, the final ominous realization..."They will be coming..."

[@robertfindley921]

Some people don't like Pen Pals, but I do. Data's interactions with the alien girl were touching. But people like Davies would have never acquiesced so easily and never given Wesley credit. And they clearly violated the Prime Directive, especially sending Data down. Meeting the Borg in Q Who was great. Love new, unique and scary aliens!

[@bentels5340]

Q Who... and so it begins... 31:01 Borg, not Borgs. Singular, not plural.

[@fllthdcrb]

No, "Borg" is both singular and plural. It's one of those.

[@CourtReacts-zm9yv]

I will make a mental note of that.

[@thesharpercoder]

The Borg were terrifying!

[@jonbolton3376]

Glad you loved Q-Who, that and The Measure Of A Man are my Season 2 favourites. However my real favourites are in Seasons 4-7, but the let's just say say this show keeps getting better, obviously with an occasional bad one. I still love the shows Picard, and Deep Space Nine more, and look forward to your thoughts in the future.

[@danielceo4694]

Q Who is an absolute classic!

[@CrimsonRevenant666]

Q Who is probably one of the best this season.

[@jonbolton3376]

I'm glad that you feel the same way about me as the Prime Directive at times, Court. Theoretically it has its merits,, but in practice it is often a bad idea, which is why i support Officers, especially Captains when they ignore it (usually).

[@jonbolton3376]

I'm also not a fan of confrontation, lol that has the unfortunate effect of my girlfriend (and exes) usually winning an argument😋

[@rccraig7580]

Well, I'm glad to see that you have become a true Star Trek Fan who watches all the episodes and gives honest commentary about what you liked and didn't like about each episode. That said I presume some of your subscribers have probably mentioned the next series Deep Space Nine overlapped with The Next Generation, but I don't exactly remember which season TNG ran concurrent with DS9. What I remember is that DS9 premiered in 1993 and TNG ended in 1994. But I'm cool with you completing the TNG franchise and then moving on to DS9 while starting the TNG movies you don't want to get overloaded with too much Star Trek

[@Semaj4747]

S6 chains of command then Ds9 emissary. The continuity fits perfectly. certain characters that crossover between the shows they're only makes sense if you watch them at the right time. Without spoiling anything... Remember that "French group"? That goes for Voy too.

[@rccraig7580]

@@Semaj4747 You're right watching the shows at the right time will preserve the continuity between the series with the crossovers characters that you mentioned. So, reactors aren't wondering who this character is or when did that event happen leading to minor ( or sometimes major ) confusion.

[@tulinfirenze1990]

@@Semaj4747 HAHA - The French Group. I'm sure I've seen their name on a marquee.

[@Semaj4747]

@@tulinfirenze1990 😉

[@neutrino78x]

Both great episodes....they never did resolve why Q would be afraid of Guinan. If they ever get to make the Star Trek Legacy show, I hope they show Q try to blink Guinan out of existence and him being unable to do so, that would be awesome 🙂 I always eschew management! In the USN as well! I always want to be "guy who has been here for a while but is not a role model and definitely not in charge" 🙂 Equivalent of the bridge on a submarine is "Control"...it's a combination of the Bridge and the CIC (command information center) on a surface ship....the periscopes are there, fire control is there (they coordinate data and target things for the torpedoes), Navigation is there, helm, Dive (depth control) and Chief of the Watch (gas/tank control) is there. There's a raised platform around the periscopes where the Officer of the Deck stands (he stands for his whole shift), and, like the chair on the Enterprise, you have to ask the OOD for permission to step onto the platform. There's also a chair on the platform, and only the Captain is supposed to sit on that. 🙂Unlike Star Trek, the Captain is not in Control all the time. He'll typically stay in his stateroom and only come in when needed. At least that is how it was on the USS Florida SSBN-728. 🙂 Loved the episodes and your analysis and your great beauty 😍

[@SJHFoto]

Don't spoil it for her!

[@karter95]

I have heard rumors the first Borg in the engine room is played by Brent Spiner. Not sure if true though

[@jonbolton3376]

Sorry, i know i'm hogging the comments today lol. I'm glad you softened towards Pulaski. Many fans dislike her. I like her, i admit she isn't my favourite, but i don't dislike her.

[@jonbolton3376]

I liked Pulaski from the start, especially her early issues with Data.

[@curtrogers5873]

Great reaction these two episodes are so different one. The prime directive is in this episode and we have to have the philosophical problem. Do we help or not help then of course Westlake has his first shot command because Stafford is so advanced and beyond the petty things he’s able to work together and solve the problem of the planet of his friend. The funny thing is we do all that stuff to change her memory so she doesn’t ring him at all then he leaves that so in stone with her, there’s not another stone like that on the whole planet from thousands of light years away we’ve seen what happens to other planets when we leave something behind that technology. Something else affects the entire civilization hopefully be good for her. Maybe you should be somebody important because having that stone hopefully you won’t get hurt by somebody wants to hurt her because I’ll take it from her. We’ll see actually the other Q is kind of a problem, but he wants to help us the other queue are so bored because they’ve done everything been everywhere. Only Q leaves his home and says what are they doing? He’s interested in us because he knows if you have a chance we might advance to accuse level or beyond it so he wants to watch us and find out like the Floridians species diamonds people when the board came they weren’t ready for it so they destroyed their cities within months, there are a few survivors, but only because they were across the galaxy and not home and invasion to place for the most part, their civilization is destroyed gone forever. That’s what I have the most places against the board only we are in a position to help to get rid of them we are previous wants to come thanks to queue. Thanks for the fun until next time.

[@empirejeff]

Can you imagine if a Starfleet ship was thousands of light years away from Earth?

[@tulinfirenze1990]

Hopefully it would be dark and gritty and realistic and the ship wouldn't magically reboot itself at the start of every new episode, like nothing had happened the week before. Hopefully there'd also be real conflict amongst the disparate crew members and we wouldn't have a Fast and Furious-like "We're a FAMILY" being rammed down our throat every single week. Hopefully.

[@karter95]

Sounds like they need to make a show about a Starfleet Ship stranded on the other side of the galaxy

[@tulinfirenze1990]

No...?

[@marktheunitedstatescitezen185]

Q was like a John Gotti of Time After ! We need more men like John !

[@DavidC-v7k]

Love your reactions and always give your vids a "thumbs up". Seems like the last few have been shorter though. Hopefully that isn't a conscious decision. 😞

[@martinfehringer6408]

First the producers tried to establish the Ferengi as the new opponent species. That failed and so now we got the Borg. Remember the Romulans lost outposts along the Neutral Zone, guess who did that ;) And Pulaski isn't bad at all just because she is not as soft as Beverley. She is the female equivalent to Bones, at least they tried this to be ^^

[@Davie1875]

Yeah, guess away. No point waiting until the episode it's revealed 🙄

[@tulinfirenze1990]

A lot of people will reference the outposts that were scooped out on planets along the Neutral Zone, in the first season finale "The Neutral Zone" as being caused by the Borg and yes, this was the theory at the time. I would say however this makes no sense. Q's pre-emptive exposure of the Federation to the Borg (by sending the Enterprise thousands of lights away and into Borg space) and vice versa meant this was the first time the Borg had exposure to the Federation. Plus, had they been as close to the Federation (and Earth) as "The Neutral Zone" theory would posit, they'd already be within striking distance of Earth and Q's early introduction of both forces to each other would be redundant. I've seen this rumour floated countless times over the decades but the events of "Q Who" means it makes NO sense.

[@martinfehringer6408]

@@tulinfirenze1990 ok that's logical. Or maybe the producers and authors intented to foreshadow the new enemy without deeper conception of the Borg at that time and then made the mistake of the 7,000 ly. We all know there are productionwise incohesive details.

[@scottjo63]

Very interesting observation about horses. Watch and react to the mini series Lonesome Dove starring Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones. One of the greatest westerns ever made. They say something about riding horses too. Also, you get to watch a superb show when TV was at it's finest!!

[@SJHFoto]

Is it as good as the book? I've never seen the show

[@The_Kiosk]

Q has somewhat of an arc across the show, but I don't think anything redeems him of this one. The fact that it would take two years to get back at maximum speed is foreshadowing.

[@N0-1_H3r3]

After years of watching the show, pondering the Star Trek universe, and even writing about it... I've reached the following conclusions about the Prime Directive: At its core, the Prime Directive is a result of two notions: first, we do not have all the answers and do not have the right to play god. Second, we do not have the innate right to intervene on others' behalf without their consent. But at the end of it, the decision comes down to the Captain: those commanding starships are often the highest authority available, far from anyone more senior. The final decision falls to them, and they must weigh the principle of the Prime Directive against the specifics of the situation, and they must be able to justify that decision in their mission reports to their superiors: Starfleet as an organisation has strict rules but is flexible in judgements, because of an understanding that breaking the rules for the right reason (and being willing to stand by your decision) is a valid defence.

[@DaveTingwaldd]

Captain Picard IS the GOAT!

[@Vejitatheouji]

Without spoiling too much, but Q actually did them a favor. Starfleet has been very complacent pretty much since they made peace with the Klingons and this encounter was the "bloody nose" they needed to open their eyes.

[@datacipher]

Thanks for repeating lines from the show nearly verbatim.

[@Vejitatheouji]

@@datacipher I expanded on the explanation, thanks.

[@bryanstoudenmire]

After all the times I've seen this episode I'm still wondering what was Guinan actually going to do to Q 🤔

[@Alexandrashepiro]

You've just met THE BORG! The Klingons, The Romans, The Ferengi are nothing compared to The Borg!

[@smadaf]

I don't sit, let alone ride, on anybody who hasn't volunteered to bear my weight. Golden Rule and all that.

[@jozdundar]

Uh oh... I saw you there. Q's growing on ya 😅

[@CourtReacts-zm9yv]

Slowly but surely lol

[@jozdundar]

@CourtReacts-zm9yv don't worry you'll love him by the end like the rest of us. And as Picard kinda alludes to in the end of this ep, there is a little bit of method to his madness. This episode is mentioned as far away as Voyager, if you get that far 👍🏻

[@tulinfirenze1990]

@@jozdundar Don't blame her if she doesn't. DS9 is better.

[@bryanstoudenmire]

Hello Court Welcome to the Borg

[@andreabindolini7452]

Q Who. Here we go.

[@bryanstoudenmire]

Guinan is at least 500years Old

[@brandonbullington]

Fun fact: You wish you were prepared for the Borg!

[@KevinLockamy]

21:00😬

[@pyrodiscoflash6115]

They take that Prime Directive Thing Way too Seriously, and Q makes Everything better

[@anthony1701d]

Excuse me, but the Federation takes the Prime Directive very seriously for obvious reasons.

[@John-r3p4q]

DESTROY IT KIRK??!!

[@libertubey2199]

At the time, the Borg was a major threat. But, as you delve further into the Star Trek franchise, there are actually bigger threats than the Borg. NO SPOILERS, PLEASE.

[@SJHFoto]

"NO SPOILERS, PLEASE"? You just did!

[@tulinfirenze1990]

@@SJHFoto I know right?? Pretty dumb.

[@AntiWokeOne]

The Borg

[@JohnBarnes0210]

Complaining about losing 18. Just wait until the Borg actually do come...

[@SJHFoto]

Let's not spoil things

[@JohnBarnes0210]

@SJHFoto Didn't spoil anything this episode hadn't eluded to.

[@peterwatycha]

Welcome to the borg

[@tofersiefken]

Trek Captains seem to treat the Prime Directive more like a "neutral zone" of grey rather than a hard line between black and white.

[@CourtReacts-zm9yv]

I guess I would fit in as a Captain lol 😂

[@danielceo4694]

Resistance is futile!

[@seanmcmurphy4744]

I've never liked Q as a character either, although John De Lancie is a good actor. Characters with infinite power are difficult to write, there are not enough constraints to make them interesting. With the entire universe to play with, why does Q keep coming back to this one ship and captain? If he really has no moral values, wouldn't he get bored with Picard and destroy the Enterprise, or the whole human race? If there is a whole race of Qs with the same powers out there, why have they not made all the other races in the galaxy their playthings?

[@tulinfirenze1990]

Indeed. The very concept is flawed and is just a typical Roddenberry "I hate god" idea. Trust me, I am no god lover either but that's besides the point. Q is just a stand in for Roddenberry's ideas of the almighty being a petty, capricious asshole. And I always hated that they created a being with unlimited power that had limits. So effing stupid.

[@seanmcmurphy4744]

@@tulinfirenze1990 I wouldn't say Q is intended to be a stand-in for God. God is supposed to be good and love humans, while Q acts like a spoiled child

[@tulinfirenze1990]

@@seanmcmurphy4744 So does god. You obviously don't know much about Gene Roddenberry. Indeed, in early 1987 when Majel Barrett was speaking at conventions and people asked her how production was going on the new STAR TREK series, she answered with something like, "Well Gene has the crew up against an all powerful entity that's judging them for the crimes of humanity so, business as usual."

[@ImagineMySurprise510]

The Prime Directive sets the Federation and its operatives up as being God, deciding the future of other races based on an arbitrary line of whether they have discovered warp drive or not. The moral imperative of being merciful to those in need of help is absent in The Prime Directive; if you don't have warp drive then you don't get help from the Federation. But what is the point of existence if we are unwilling to help those in need? Yes, things can go wrong if help is given, whether they have the required warp technology or not. But things are definitely going wrong for these people already. Even now we have people in need of help today. Should we close our ears to their begging for help? If we are going to be like God then we should be like him in mercy. The Federation does not need to create imaginary scenarios in which their help can lead to catastrophic results; refusing help is already leading to catastrophic results, so where is the merit in sitting on their hands and doing nothing? In Enterprise the Prime Directive was used as the reason for doing nothing when a whole planetary civilization was destroyed. Where was the moral high ground in that decision?

[@gallendugall8913]

TNG turned the Prime Directive into some kind of weird predestination cult where the universe is selecting peoples for extinction. Utterly irrational to see people suffering and refuse to help because the universe selected them for suffering, and this predestination is just an excuse for artificially injecting drama into episodes like Pen Pals. We can't just have the characters say, "Let's be good people and do the right thing!" no, we need a plot complication to force drama, and that is just bad writing. I prefer the TOS interpretation of the Prime Directive, "No imperialism!"

[@noahrobin1941]

I get where you’re coming from, but I also think that’s overly simplistic. The comments section is a bit of a rubbish place for complex philosophical discussions, but just to toss some thoughts out: what impact (no pun intended) will magic rocks falling from the sky have on this culture? Obviously it’s preferable to extinction, but I do think it’s still a consideration, if for no other reason than to know what steps to take to reduce the possibility of contamination. Another thought (which I only just had) is that I think it’s reasonable to think the Federation’s definition of the Prime Directive has shifted from the time of the Wild West TOS years to the more routine years of TNG. Not that you said otherwise, it’s simply a thought I had.

[@rogerlundstrom6926]

I always find the Q episodes to be so EXTREMELY poorly written. They just suck from beginning to end and doesn't even make sense from ANY perspective. So.. Q.. comes to want to be part of the crew.. uhhhh.. because.. "he thinks they are expanding too fast".. ???.. how.. does those relate at all?.. is he implying he is intending to sabotage them to slow them down?.. Or what?.. Seriously?.. but then.. he clarifies this.. by.. Literally bringing him to the very danger he thinks they aren't prepared for turning.. "You'll meet them sooner than I think you should.. so let me make it happen now instead".. AND he say it's a preview of things to come BUT he allows the Borg to register their presence, AND allows them to remember it, and.. it leads to them actually thinking of humans as a potential risk so they start taking actions.. That is NOT a preview.. that is "first contact".. that is the ACTUAL event not just a sign of what lies agead it is MAKING it happen right here and now. There is ALWAYS a problem when some nitwit think they can create a "larger than life" creature that can do anything they want (God like).. but..unlike most other stories with plotpoints based on characters that are "too big to be useful" (Like superman.. They had to start INVENTING things in order to even have a story.. things like different types of cryptonites.. they gave him too much power and had to remove it)..They don't even seem to try to create a coherent narrative at all.. not even assuming that Q would be lying makes it plausible or engaging/entertaining. Q wouldn't need to lie, and he wouldn't need them for anything. Even if he would do it like a kid with a magnifier-glass he wouldn't need to actually get involved as he can travel time and space any way he wants, so he wouldn't need to rush them meeting the Borg one iota.. There is literally no advantage for Q to do anything of the things he does..

[@tulinfirenze1990]

TOTALLY agreed. ALWAYS found the character to be flawed from the concept up. Q is apparently all powerful, yet gets stymied by humans at every turn. That would be like us being outwitted by an amoeba. In fact an amoeba would be too big in this comparison. Once Q felt he is being outwitted, as an all powerful being he would simply be able to reshape reality so that these insignificant beings conform to what he wants them to do. In fact, he'd know what they were going to do BEFORE they did it. The very concept of the character and his powers is ridiculous and flawed. Q is only BARELY saved by DeLancie's performance and natural charm.

[@kerrygerald608]

My dear lady, I do you believe that you are going to enjoy the introduction of the Borg a very great deal they make for a interesting adversary Be well do good work and keep in touch Yours, Kerry Lex Gerald