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‘picard’ star john de lancie had single question before returning to ‘star trek’ as q.

The highly anticipated Paramount+ series once again beamed down Thursday with some familiar faces from 'The Next Generation.'

By Ryan Parker

Ryan Parker

Former Senior Reporter

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Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry told John de Lancie during production of The Next Generation pilot “Encounter at Farpoint” that the actor had no idea what he was getting himself into with joining the franchise. Thirty-five years later, de Lancie can’t help but chuckle at the accuracy of the statement.

Star Trek: Picard once again beamed down Thursday with the premiere episode of the second season, “The Star Gazer” arriving on Paramount+. And fans were treated to some familiar faces from TNG , including Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan and de Lancie back in his iconic role of the troublesome all-powerful, extradimensional being, Q.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter prior to the premiere, de Lancie admitted he was as shocked as anyone when the request came for him to once again reprise Q,  one of Star Trek ‘s most popular antagonists.

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“I did [the TNG series finale] ‘All Good Things,’ and then they went off to do some movies. No one asked, no one called,” de Lancie begins. “It is not as if I was expecting it or waiting for it. As I have said in the past, I don’t spend too much time worrying about if I am going to be invited to someone’s dinner party, so I put it out of my mind. And then one day, my agent called and said, ‘They would like to have you on Picard and want you to go over to Paramount for a chat.'”

The actor’s mind began to swirl with what he called “infinite possibilities,” knowing better than anyone that a storyline involving Q had zero barriers. So, de Lancie took the meeting and shortly thereafter found himself across from Picard showrunner Terry Matalas. Their talk began with a single query from the actor, whose costume as Q in TNG was a bit of a monstrosity.

“I said, ‘I just have a preliminary question: You’re not putting me in tights again, are you?'” de Lancie says. “And Terry goes, ‘Oh, no, no, no.’ I said, ‘OK. We can proceed.'” Of course, the actor had several more questions about how his character would be handled and was impressed by everything he heard.

“I asked how they were going to deal with the age and that type of stuff. And Terry said, ‘We will [make it happen] and more importantly, we want you how you are now,'” de Lancie says. “He explained to me how the story arch would go, and I said, ‘That sounds great.'”

The first day of production was electrifying for de Lancie. He and star Patrick Stewart had crossed paths a number of times since the TNG finale, which aired in May 1994. But now they were back in front of cameras; once again their iconic sci-fi characters playing a mental game of chess with the fate of the galaxy in the balance

Simply put, de Lancie says, “It was fun,” before expanding. “We shot outside at a winery. They rolled cameras, and then they cut. And unbeknownst to me, Terry had come up from the studio to see that first shot. And he threw his hands up and said, ‘The magic!'”

As far as what fans should expect in the way of Q returning for Picard , de Lancie shares no spoilers as he pulls back the curtain a touch in order to manage expectations. “When I was on TNG , they were Q episodes. Here, I am more of a catalyst,” the actor explains. “I do six out of 10 episodes. I did have to readjust because I thought it would be like before, wall-to-wall words with just me and Patrick. And when I got there, I realized that just cannot be the case. I tried to get an overview and not just an egocentric view of it. And I said, ‘This makes sense. I am getting the ball rolling.'”

All that said, de Lancie cannot wait for audiences to experience the second season of Picard , noting Star Trek fans are like the franchise’s stories: unique.

“These are people who have watched the show, and they come back and want to talk about it. So I have gotten to understand the show from their point of view really well,” de Lancie said of fans’ investment in the material and characters. “And Star Trek storytelling is important. In the end, it has to be about something that is meaningful and deep and has social relevance. That is the essence of Star Trek . And as long as we always have that, we will always have our audience.”

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Picard says goodbye with a mysterious hint at Star Trek’s future

The finale has one of Star Trek’s only credits scenes

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Never let it be said that Paramount Plus hasn’t brought the Star Trek franchise into the modern era of interconnected television: Star Trek even has credits scenes now.

And while the award for “first credits scene in Star Trek” would go to Star Trek: Lower Decks , with its season 3 finale, “The Stars at Night,” the award for “first Star Trek credits scene to point at a mysterious future installment of the franchise” can go to Star Trek: Picard and its finale.

[ Ed. note: This piece contains spoilers for the final episode of Star Trek: Picard season 3, “The Last Generation.”]

The denouement of “The Last Generation” makes sure we know exactly where our faves old and new have wound up. While the Next Generation crew largely wound up with promotions, renewed relationships, or just a return to their peaceful lives, Picard built a new future for some of its younger old characters.

Former borg drone Seven of Nine was promoted to captain of the Titan, which was renamed Enterprise. Thanks to some calculated intelligence leaks, her girlfriend Raffi’s record was cleared, freeing her up to act as Seven’s first officer, and Jack Crusher — son of Jean-Luc Picard and Beverly Crusher , interstellar adventurer, recently freed from Borg control — was fast-tracked to the rank of Starfleet ensign to serve as captain’s counselor.

The credits scene takes us right back to Jack, in his quarters on the newly christened Enterprise, as he’s visited by none other than the cosmic being known as Q (John de Lancie). Q was thought to have died at the end of Picard season 2, but when Jack points that out, Q admonishes him for thinking so linearly. The long and the short of it is: Q is eternal, and he has something in mind for the progeny of his longtime fixation, Jean-Luc Picard.

Does this mean Star Trek: Legacy is real?

About a month ago, Picard showrunner Terry Matalas tweeted that “#StarTrekLegacy is what I’d call a spin-off show from #StarTrekPicard. A 25th Century show that explores the Last Generation and the Next.” Since then, he’s been either teasing an upcoming show or just having a hearty good time retweeting coverage of his tweet and clips of veteran Star Trek actors agreeing that a nostalgic spinoff for 1990s Trek fans sounds like a good idea .

So it’s not entirely clear whether “Star Trek Legacy” is a real show or what. But it’s hard to imagine what else Picard ’s final moments could possibly be pointing to. The next Star Trek show on the Paramount Plus lineup is the second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , then the fourth season of the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks , and then the second season of all-ages cartoon Star Trek: Prodigy . None of those seem like a good fit for Picard ’s hints, being set in completely different eras or produced in a completely different medium.

Paramount has also confirmed at least two more future Star Trek projects, but they also don’t seem likely as answers either — Starfleet Academy will take place the better part of a millennium after Picard , while the recently announced Section 31 film starring Michelle Yeoh just simply doesn’t seem particularly relevant.

It’s possible that Paramount is sitting on a Star Trek: Legacy show about Jack Crusher, Seven of Nine, Raffi, and Sidney La Forge (the Titan/Enterprise’s helmswoman and daughter of Geordi La Forge) going on some epic Q-uest. But we won’t know until it’s actually announced — and so far, Paramount is keeping quiet.

Update: Speaking to Entertainment Weekly , Matalas said “Jack’s got a lot to do, let me tell you.” The showrunner confirmed that Paramount does have a plan for Jack Crusher’s character moving forward, but declined to elaborate or confirm the existence of another new Star Trek show.

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Published May 4, 2021

Everyone Loves Q (But Which One?)

"I thought the name might be a reference back to Star Trek - and I was disturbed when I found out what this new Q stood for."

StarTrek.com

There is clearly something mysterious and seductive about the letter Q. From The Next Generation ’s fan-favorite character; to an ambiguous online cult leader; to the eponymous main character from a 90s Italian novel. Each of these Qs is an enigmatic, powerful figure behind pivotal events, and yet shrouded in secrecy. And now, the fictional world has spilled into the real thanks to the dark influence of the Q in Qanon.

Q played a pivotal role in securing the continued legacy of Star Trek — starring in the pilot episode for TNG “Encounter at Farpoint.” The omnipotent being appears out of thin air and puts all of humanity on trial, with Captain Picard and his crew standing in as representatives of Earth. He declares that he is part of the Q Continuum - a race of all-powerful beings, all named Q and living in a dimension imperceptible to humans. Q reappears regularly in the Star Trek universe from that point onward, in both TV series and books. So when the various Qanon hashtags began spreading on Twitter and Instagram in 2019 and 2020, I was at first deeply confused. I thought the name might be a reference back to Star Trek - and I was disturbed when I found out what this new Q stood for.

Q, of QAnon fame, originated in October 2017 in the irony-poisoned message boards of 4Chan. This Q, too, appeared as if from thin air, in a discussion board where users took turns imitating high-ranking members of the US intelligence community, from the FBI to the Navy. Q explained that his name was to indicate his Q level clearance — given to those who are part of the USA’s Department of Energy. He predicted that Hilary Clinton would soon be arrested. Rather than quizzing the new arrival to catch them out and make them break character, as the board normally did, something about this new poster caught 4Chan’s imagination. The board lit up with delight at the prospect of Clinton’s arrest.

Q began to develop beyond this initial board. A series of obscure and arcane messages followed, (now known as the QDrops) in which Q predicted various deaths and catastrophes — none of which have come true. The content eventually became too toxic even for 4Chan, and the Anons (as followers of Q call themselves) were booted from the platform. 8kun — an even darker and more lawless corner of the internet — gladly welcomed them. While some argue that there are two distinct Q voices (one pre-8kun and one post-8kun), that did not stop the cult of Q (whoever they were or are) from growing around them, The Anons believe in a literal demonic secret society of cannibalistic pedophiles who secretly control America. Coincidentally, those so-called satan-worshippers all happen to be political opponents of President Trump, whom 4Chan largely supported.

John de Lancie on Creating a Star Trek Icon

The cult of Q gleefully fantasized about the mass murder of Democrats, to such an extent they were banned from Reddit. Facebook and Twitter made half-hearted attempts to remove them, too. Anons and their beliefs were almost like a secondary virus during the pandemic, spreading like wildfire through social media and decimating families. Numerous crimes — from kidnapping children to assassinating mob bosses and terrorist activities on the Hoover dam — have been linked to Qanon supporters. Then came January 6; white supremacist paramilitary members mixed freely with the Qanon adherents in the rush to invade America’s Capitol building. One of the most enduring images was of the Q Shaman , a regular at Q protests for years, bare-chested and roaring in the chamber of the House.

If Star Trek ’s Q had been judging humanity based on the actions of the Anons, he would have come to a different conclusion than he did in "Encounter at Farpoint". It’s easy to laugh at the Anons, with their beliefs in mole people and secret codes of red shoes and pizza. But they are full-blooded fascists , who openly fantasized about mass executions and have beliefs inspired by antisemitic conspiracy theories. They are obsessed with pop culture, frequently telling each other to ‘sit back and enjoy the show’ and to ‘grab the popcorn’. Even their infamous saying ‘Where we go one, we go all’ (or WWG1WGA) was lifted from the 1996 boating/adventure romp White Squall .

The mysterious Q of Qanon has similarities to Q of Star Trek — both are representatives of shadowy, anonymous and all-powerful (and fictional) societies. As Q befriends Captain Picard, working to inspire, test and save him, Q from Qanon is seen to work in tandem with Trump. And while in Star Trek , the impish Q might create illusions to teach the crew of the Enterprise a twisted sort of lesson, the Q from Qanon seems to have drawn thousands of people from around the world into a shared toxic delusion.

There is a third Q in this mix: the enemy of a European revolutionary from a 1999 Italian novel. The book was written by an anonymous collective who published under the name ‘Luther Blissett’. Their numbers have dwindled from hundreds in the 90s to a handful of people who now publish under the name ‘Wu Ming’ (which can be translated as ‘anonymous’). Back in 2018, journalist Annalisa Merelli pointed out the similarities in the novel to the Qanon conspiracy theory. It’s intended to be a handbook to push back against the status quo - the hero is a revolutionary who travels through Europe starting rebellions. He is pursued by a shadowy figure named Q who is working for the Catholic church. These anonymous networks and references to revolutions might be what leads Anons to assert that their movement goes back decades, hundreds, even thousands of years. Anons also make allusions to the American president as a Christ-like figure, with Q as a guardian angel. They believe he is in some ways the second-coming, destined to remake the Earth. This links to the religious themes of the novel, Q, as well as to omnipotence of the god-like Q from Star Trek . This blend of fascism, conspiracy and religion is a powerfully toxic mix — and has led to church leaders in the USA to warn about it infecting faith communities .

Star Trek: Lower Decks - Q Shows Up On The U.S.S. Cerritos

So all 3 Qs are enigmatic and potentially malevolent figures, pulling the strings behind important events. Q from the novel is the antagonist and Q from Star Trek is an anti-hero, while Q from Qanon is so clearly a villain to outsiders. But the question is: will Anons wake up and see Q for what he is? My great hope is that, like so many of the Starfleet crews who have encountered a Q of their own, the Americans who have been tricked will be able to wake up from the delusion Q wove around them, and go back to their lives and families.

Hannah Copestake (she/her) is a British writer whose work critiques pop culture and digital life. She is studying for a Masters in Digital Society from the University of Edinburgh and holds a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Birmingham.

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‘Star Trek: Picard’ Recap: Q Is the Worst Friend Ever

Everyone’s favorite omnipotent being is back to reveal yet another alternate universe. But this time, he’s not giving out an education.

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By Sopan Deb

Season 2, Episode 2: ‘Penance’

“Show them a world of their own making and they ask you what you’ve done,” John de Lancie’s Q asks Jean-Luc Picard at the top of the second episode of this season’s “Picard.”

This has been the modus operandi of our favorite omnipotent being who has long toyed with Picard as his guinea pig. Q causes a significant disruption, but it’s mostly to teach pitiful humans a stern lesson and get some yuks while doing it. This version of Q seems angrier — even slapping Picard in the face once, which seems a bit out of character, but this is Gritty Trek. (Recall that when Q appears in “Deep Space Nine,” Captain Sisko punches him in the face , which shocks Q, because he can’t conceive of one of his playthings turning to violence.)

Q says that this time, he’s not giving out an education.

“This is not a lesson,” Q barks. “It’s a penance.”

A quick digression: Picard tells Q that he’s too old for his, you know, stuff. There’s a lingering issue from the first season of “Picard” that bothers me. It’s that Picard isn’t actually too old for anything. He’s no longer human. You might remember that Picard died last season! Then he woke up as some sort of aging synthetic being. This is the danger in messing with audience expectations with a fake death. There’s always a technological out for Picard, so he’s never really in any danger. That precedent the show has set for itself will affect the dramatic tension going forward.

That doesn’t mean it can’t work. Spock died in “Wrath of Khan” and was brought back to life in the next movie. He remained a compelling character for several more films.

In this case, Q places Picard and the rest of his friends in what initially appears to be a Mirror Universe, but turns out to be an altered reality. Several “Trek” franchises have taken on the Mirror Universe, but Picard’s “Next Generation” was never one of them.

It’s not, however, the first time Q has revealed an alternate reality to Picard. In the “Next Generation” episode “Tapestry,” Q shows Picard that if a younger version of him hadn’t taken risks , he would have been unsatisfied for the rest of his life. There was also the series finale of “The Next Generation,” where Q goads Picard into creating an anomaly across several different timelines as part of the trial of humanity. Someone please get Q a job or a show to binge watch, for the galaxy’s sake.

The stakes in this reality, though, are much higher. Q shows Picard a world in which the Federation were bloodthirsty conquerors. There’s even a Museum of Conquest! We see the remains of some classic “Trek” characters, like Gul Dukat, General Martok and Sarek — all apparently murdered by a Confederation force led by Picard, who wants a “pure” world according a recording of a speech. Subtle!

“This is the only life you understand,” Q tells Picard. But maybe Q is crankier than usual because, as Picard points out, he’s not well.

It’s not clear what exactly Q is trying to show Picard, because Picard has never been particularly violent. For the most part, he’s always tried to find peaceful solutions. But “Trek” has never shied away from politics. The parallels between white nationalists who have been in the news in the past few years and what Evil Picard describes is apparent. Separately, it hardly seems incidental that the Eradication Day rally near the end of the episode recalls rallies led by former president Donald J. Trump, complete with the crowd chanting Picard’s name.

Seven of Nine is married and the leader of the Confederation. (Hey, at least she got a promotion.) Rios is a colonel. Elnor is a rebel. Raffi is somewhere in between. Jurati runs the “eradication” process — and has a digital cat named after Data’s, Spot. She deduces that there’s been a corruption in the timeline. One wonders if Whoopi Goldberg’s Guinan will make another appearance this season, since Guinan and Q have their own history.

Elnor’s appearance gave me a chuckle because when he appears in the new reality, he is 100 percent on board with the uprising, despite not knowing anything about it or why he is there to begin with. This pretty much fits with his character. He has a keen moral sense, regardless of how much information he has.

The Borg Queen made the trip, too. She tells Picard that one single decision made in 2024 had lasting consequences for the entire galaxy. (I wonder if there’s something happening in our 2024 that the show is alluding to!) Incidentally, Q is the entire reason that the Enterprise ever encountered the Borg to begin with, so thanks for that, man.

A weird moment comes when Picard is deducing ways to go back in time and mentions that Kirk’s Enterprise did it “on more than one occasion.” Why didn’t he mention that his own Enterprise went back in time in “First Contact,” the best “Next Generation” movie?

The occasional head-scratcher aside, the first two chapters of this season have been ambitious and compelling. It’s good to see Picard can still handle a phaser. The episode ends with Seven of Nine’s faux husband discovering that Picard’s merry band is too merry for this timeline. He fell in love with Seven’s cruelty, not her compassion! His idea of date night is genocide, which must’ve made for an interesting Bumble profile.’

Sopan Deb is a basketball writer and a contributor to the Culture section. Before joining The Times, he covered Donald J. Trump's presidential campaign for CBS News. He is also a New York-based comedian.  More about Sopan Deb

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Encounter at Farpoint (episode)

Captain Jean-Luc Picard leads the crew of the USS Enterprise -D on its maiden voyage, to examine a new planetary station for trade with the Federation. On the way, they encounter Q, an omnipotent extra-dimensional being, who challenges Humanity as a barbaric, inferior species. Picard and his new crew must hold off Q's challenge and solve the puzzle of Farpoint station on Deneb IV, a base that is far more than it seems to be. ( Series premiere )

• 1.1 Act One
• 1.2 Act Two
• 1.3 Act Three
• 1.4 Act Four
• 1.5 Act Five
• 1.6 Act Six
• 1.7 Act Seven
• 1.8 Act Eight
• 1.9 Act Nine
• 1.10 Act Ten
• 1.11 Log entries
• 2 Memorable quotes
• 3.1.1 Footnotes
• 3.2 Introduction
• 3.3 Story and script
• 3.4 Cast and characters
• 3.5 Proceeding with pre-production
• 3.6 Sets and props
• 3.7 Production
• 3.8 Visual effects and editing
• 3.9 Soundtrack
• 3.10 Credits sequences
• 3.11 Reception
• 3.12 Aftermath
• 3.13 Continuity
• 3.14 Apocrypha
• 3.15 Remastered version
• 3.16 Related merchandise
• 3.17 Releases
• 4.1 Starring
• 4.2 Also starring
• 4.3 Guest stars
• 4.4 Special guest appearance by
• 4.5 Featuring
• 4.6 Uncredited co-stars
• 4.7 Stunt doubles
• 4.8 Stand-ins
• 4.9.1 Dedication plaque references
• 4.9.2 Other references (script, deleted)
• 5 External links

Summary [ ]

Act one [ ].

Captain Jean-Luc Picard

The year is 2364 . Captain Jean-Luc Picard has assumed command of the new starship, the Galaxy -class USS Enterprise -D , the fifth Federation starship to bear the name Enterprise . The vessel is about to embark on its first mission to Deneb IV , beyond which lies the great unexplored mass of the galaxy. Picard, in his log , notes that he is impressed with the size and complexity of the ship as he walks through the Enterprise , surveying engineering , then finally enters the bridge , manned by tactical officer Lieutenant Natasha Yar , Lieutenant Worf , Counselor Deanna Troi and Lieutenant Commander Data . Picard continues with his log, in which he reports that the ship is en route to Farpoint Station and that the ship is short in several key positions, most notably a first officer , but Picard is informed that a very experienced officer, one William T. Riker , will fill the position.

Captain Picard looks out at the " great, unexplored mass of the galaxy. "

Picard sits at the captain's chair and makes an off-hand comment on how Starfleet wants the crew of the Enterprise to "snoop" around Farpoint station, to which Data makes an inquiry into the definition of the word snoop. Picard wonders how Data, a complex android with encyclopedic knowledge does not know the meaning of a basic word like "snoop". Data responds that he possibly was not designed to emulate this type of Human behavior. Picard says that it means "to spy, to sneak." Data responds, " Ah, to seek covertly, to go stealthily, to slink, slither, creep, skulk, pussyfoot, gum… " " Yes " Picard interjects, to which Data finishes, " …shoe. " Suddenly, Counselor Troi senses a powerful mind. The ship then goes to red alert , with the familiar alert sound blaring through the bridge.

"It registers as solid, Captain."

Then, conn officer Lieutenant Torres reports that there is something strange on his detector circuit. A large field begins to appear in front of the Enterprise , which reads as solid. Picard calls for Yar to turn off "that damned noise!" and go to yellow alert . Picard orders helm to make the ship come to a full stop. Soon after controls read full stop, a white light shines on the bridge and a humanoid emerges, dressed from 16th century Europe . Picard asks the being to identify itself. The being notes that he is called " Q " and walks around the bridge, while Torres discreetly takes a hand phaser out from the bottom of his console . Q, however, senses this and freezes Torres before he can fire. Q, after showing his ability, warns the crew of the Enterprise to go back to Earth or they shall most certainly die.

Act Two [ ]

"There are no indications that Humans will ever change."

Later, Q changes into many costumes of Earth's eras, including the late 20th century in the guise of a United States Marine Corps captain: " Actually, the issue at stake is patriotism . We must go back to your world and put an end to the Commies . All it takes are a few good men. " Picard tells Q that that kind of nonsense is centuries behind them. Q brings up that Picard cannot deny that Humans are a dangerous, savage child race, which Picard denies, saying that Humans have made rapid progress in only a few centuries.

Q then changes again, thinking Picard and his crew will be able to identify with the period that he next embodies, that of a soldier in the late 21st century , where Q notes that Humans learned to control their militaries through drugs . The other officers , not amused with Q's behavior, attempt to make him leave, but Q keeps on heaping disapproval on Humans, noting that when they finally reached deep space, they found enemies to fight out there as well, which Q says is "the same old story all over again." Picard says that Q is the same old story they have been seeing, self-righteous beings who prosecute and judge for things they can't understand nor tolerate. Q notes that "prosecute and judge" is an interesting concept, and asks, "Suppose it turns out we understand you Humans all too well?" Picard says he does not fear the facts, and Q seems to take this as a suggestion. He then says that there are preparations to make, but notes that he will be back and will proceed the way Picard suggests.

Picard, who gets many suggestions from his senior staff , orders that no stations on the ship will make audio transmissions, only printout , in an attempt to catch Q off guard, with Picard noting, " Let's see what this Galaxy -class starship can do. " Picard orders Worf to head down to engineering and have them prepare for maximum acceleration. Picard also asks Data if it is possible to perform a saucer separation at a high warp velocity. Data notes that the separation is inadvisable at any warp speed; it is theoretically possible, but there can be no margin for error. Worf returns from engineering, with the report that the engine room is ready, and takes his position at the helm. Picard orders " Engage ", and the ship turns away from Q's force field and warps away.

"Hostile is now beginning to overtake us, sir!"

The entire force field collapses into a ball and heads towards the Enterprise . The object is at high warp speed , at warp 9.6, and the Enterprise increases speed accordingly. However, the object is increasing speed. Data notes that the Enterprise may be able to match the object's 9.8 warp, but at extreme risk. However, the object reaches warp 9.9 while the Enterprise is only at warp 9.5. Picard, seeing no other alternative, calls out to the entire ship, " Now hear this, printout message, urgent, all stations, all decks, prepare for emergency saucer sep. " The bridge officers are shocked at this new order. Picard orders Worf to command the saucer section, while Picard commands the battle section. Worf stands up from his conn station and tells Picard, " I am a Klingon , sir. For me to seek escape when my captain goes into battle… ", to which Picard bluntly overrules him and reminds him that he is a Starfleet officer. Worf grudgingly agrees. Picard, Yar, Troi, and Data take the bridge's emergency turbolift to the battle bridge .

Act Three [ ]

Saucer separation of the Enterprise -D

The Enterprise 's corridors are filled with crewmembers and families leaving the stardrive section to the saucer section. Picard, Data, Yar and Troi enter the battle bridge, with Chief Miles O'Brien manning the conn. First, Picard orders that Yar fire photon torpedoes towards the object. Yar complies and the torpedoes are away. Shortly after, Picard orders that the countdown to saucer separation begin. Data counts down, and the ship separates while at warp. The stardrive section turns around and heads towards a confrontation with Q. The stardrive section arrives to see the torpedoes hit the object, however, it has no effect, the point being that the detonation of the torpedoes masked the getaway of the saucer section. Picard asks Troi to send out a message in all languages that they surrender.

"Careful, sir – this is not an illusion or a dream."

Then, the stardrive section is soon encompassed by a sphere-shaped force field and bright white light surrounds the battle bridge. Picard, Troi, Data and Yar are taken to a World War III -style courtroom , where Troi reveals that everything that is happening is real, even the soldiers with lethal weapons. The magistrate orders everyone in the courtroom to stand as the judge enters. The judge is revealed to be Q, who charges Humanity of being a grievously savage race, to which Yar is unable to control her anger and starts to berate Q, saying that she comes from a world where a similar "court" was commonplace, and that it took people like her Starfleet comrades to save her from such atrocities. Q then freezes Yar, the same way he did to Torres. Outraged, Picard demands that Q uphold his promise that "the prisoners would not be harmed" and thaw out Yar, which he does, much to the crowd's displeasure. Picard pleads not guilty to Q's charges. Q does not take kindly to this and has two soldiers aim their weapons at Data and Troi, ordering them to push the triggers if Picard says anything other than guilty.

Act Four [ ]

Picard, forced into a tight spot, admits that there is indeed evidence to support the court's contention that Humans have been savage. Therefore, he asks Q to test the crew of the Enterprise to see if this is presently true of Humans. Q is fascinated by this idea and tells Picard that the Farpoint station will be an excellent site for this test. Picard, with his crew are transported back to the battle bridge, where O'Brien has been the entire time. O'Brien claims that he has heard that Farpoint is a rather dull place, but Picard hears that it might be rather interesting.

"…I'll be damned."

On Deneb IV, Commander William T. Riker walks to Groppler Zorn 's office. Riker has just been dropped off by the USS Hood for his new assignment. He talks with Zorn for a while, and Zorn asks him if he would like a piece of fruit off of his desk. Riker looks for an apple but cannot find one. Then, a bowl of apples suddenly shows up on Zorn's desk, which Riker swears could not have been there two seconds ago. Zorn assures him that it has been there the whole time. Riker then leaves eating the apple, while Zorn, alone in his office, says " You have been told not to do that. It will arouse their suspicion, and if that happens, we will have to punish you. We will! I promise you! "

Meanwhile, at Farpoint Station , Riker meets up at Farpoint's mall with the beautiful Dr. Beverly Crusher and her son, Wesley , who is eagerly anticipating joining the Enterprise . Riker asks Dr. Crusher if there is something useful they can do while they wait for the ship to arrive. For example, Riker tells Crusher about the apple incident at Zorn's office, which Dr. Crusher dismisses as Riker attempting to pull favor with the captain, as she is shopping. She sees a purple bolt and says that gold would look great on it, then five seconds later, a gold pattern appears on the fabric.

"Isn't it remarkable they happen to have exactly what you asked for?"

Dr. Crusher later apologizes to Riker and that she looks forward to meeting Picard, which Riker wonders if she knows the captain. Wesley solemnly tells Riker that when he was a child, Picard brought his father 's body back to them. Dr. Crusher notes that it was a long time ago and ends the conversation. Riker tells Wesley that he'll see him on board.

Riker then meets up with blind Starfleet officer Lieutenant Geordi La Forge , who makes an official report that the Enterprise has arrived, but with the stardrive section only and that Captain Picard has requested his presence. Riker taps his combadge and is beamed up to the Enterprise .

Act Five [ ]

"They say you will be doing this… manually, sir?"

Once aboard, the commander is greeted by Lieutenant Yar, who escorts him to the battle bridge. Riker arrives and is not greeted warmly by Picard, who tells him to watch the video recording of Q, so he'll know what the ship is facing. Picard leaves the bridge for the ready room and asks Riker to enter once he is done watching the recording. Riker enters and Picard asks him to perform a manual docking of the stardrive section and the saucer section, a difficult task. The saucer section enters orbit of Deneb IV, ready for reconnection. Riker asks O'Brien to adjust the pitch angle, then assures, with the stardrive's velocity being zero, that its inertia should finish the job. Riker orders the lock up of the stardrive and saucer, and thus the Enterprise is successfully reconnected.

"Welcome to the Enterprise , Commander Riker."

In the ship's conference lounge , Picard discusses with Riker how during an incident on the planet Altair III , he refused to let Captain Robert DeSoto of the USS Hood beam down to the planet, seeing that a captain's life could be in danger. Picard tests him by suggesting that Riker doesn't respect a captain's authority, which Riker denies, only to state that preserving a captain's life takes priority over obeying his orders. Picard asks him if he intends to back down from that policy. Riker confidently says " No, sir. " Confident in Riker's loyalty, Picard proceeds to express his discomfort with the substantial number of families and particularly children aboard the Enterprise and orders Riker's assistance in ensuring Picard project the image of geniality expected of a starship captain, to which Riker agrees. Then, Captain Picard formally welcomes Riker on board the Enterprise and shakes his hand.

Admiral McCoy tours the Enterprise -D with Data

Riker enters the bridge of the Enterprise for the first time, when he inquires to Lt. Worf as to the location of Lieutenant Commander Data. Worf reports that Data is on special assignment, having escorted an admiral around the ship for the whole day, who arrived on the Enterprise to inspect the new vessel's medical layout. Data is now in the process of transferring the admiral to the Hood , via shuttlecraft . When asked why the admiral couldn't have just beamed over instead, Worf responds, " Well, I suppose he could , sir, but the admiral is a rather… remarkable man. "

" You treat her like a lady… and she'll always bring you home. "

In a corridor , Admiral Leonard McCoy claims that Data wanted his atoms scattered all over space. However, Data claims that with his age, he should not have to bother with the time and trouble of a shuttlecraft. McCoy stops walking and asks Data " What about my age? " Data apologizes, if the subject of his age bothers McCoy. " Troubles me? What's so damn troublesome about not having died?! ", McCoy exclaims. The admiral then asks Data just how old he thinks he is. Data reports quickly that he is 137 years old , according to Starfleet records. McCoy wonders how he can remember that so exactly. Data replies that he remembers everything he is exposed to. McCoy sarcastically says that Data may not have pointed ears, but that he sounds like a Vulcan , only to claim that the actual fact that he is an android is "almost as bad," much to Data's puzzlement over his own perception of Vulcans as an advanced and respected race. McCoy replies, " They are, they are – and damn annoying at times . " While continuing to walk down the corridor, McCoy tells Data to treat the Enterprise like a lady and that she will respond by always bringing him and the crew home.

Act Six [ ]

Later, on the bridge, Q appears on the Enterprise 's main viewscreen and tells Picard that his time is running out. Worf reacts by pointing a phaser at him, but Picard restrains him, pointing out that he would be shooting the viewscreen instead of Q himself. Picard states that they will proceed the same regardless of Q's involvement, stating that, " If we're going to be damned, let's be damned for what we really are. "

" I consider it important for my key officers to know each other's abilities. "

In Picard's ready room , Riker then tells the captain about objects appearing when thought of on the planet. Picard is a bit skeptical about Riker's observations and orders Counselor Troi to join him and Riker on an away mission , which results in an awkward reunion on the bridge between Troi and Riker, her Imzadi .

"Pain. Loneliness. Terrible loneliness. Despair."

Picard meets Zorn, but Zorn immediately becomes fearful since there is a Betazoid at the meeting. Troi assures Zorn that she is only half-Betazoid and that she can only sense strong emotions in people. She then feels a strong flood of emotions coming from somewhere, namely pain and loneliness. Picard begins to leave and tells Zorn that the Federation may not protect Farpoint anymore, to which Zorn says that the station may become vulnerable to species like the Ferengi , to which Picard replies, " Fine, let's hope they find you as tasty as they did their past associates. "

Later, on the Enterprise , Riker finally meets Data in the ship's holodeck , where the android is in a forest program trying to whistle " Pop Goes the Weasel ". He requests Data's participation in the away mission, to which Data agrees. They then proceed to discuss Data's background and his studies at the Academy , with Data admitting that, while superior to Humans in many ways, he would rather be Human.

Act Seven [ ]

Riker meets Data

As Riker and Data discuss the intricacies of the holodeck technology, Wesley enters the holodeck, excited about the potential of the technology, but accidentally falls into a pond, only to be rescued singlehandedly by Data. They exit as Picard is walking down a corridor, Riker stating that he is leading an away mission down to Deneb IV, and Wesley apologetically dripping water on the corridor carpet. Wesley tells Picard that he thinks he should find something to dry himself up with and the Enterprise captain tells him that that would be a good idea.

On Deneb IV, Riker then leads a team to explore more of Farpoint Station, with Yar, La Forge, Data and Troi. They go underground into tunnels, where Troi again senses great despair and pain.

" We'll see what we can do. "

In sickbay, Wesley tells his mother about all the areas he has seen thus far on the Enterprise -D, including the low-gravity gymnasium and remarks that it would be difficult to become bored on this ship. He then asks his mother to let him see the bridge and promises he will merely remain on the turbolift, just taking a look around. Beverly reminds him that children coming onto the the bridge is against the captain's standing orders but eventually relents. Crusher hadn't met Picard since her husband died and goes with Wesley to see him on the bridge. Taken aback, Picard lets Wesley in the bridge, though suddenly an unexpected ship appears.

Act Eight [ ]

" You have your orders, lieutenant. Carry them out! "

Zorn insists he does not know the ship or expect one. The ship scans the Enterprise and begins attacking the surface of Deneb IV, though it targets only the Old Bandi City rather than the station. On the surface, the away team loses communication and exits the base into the city on hearing of the attack. Riker orders Yar, Troi, and La Forge to beam back up to the ship and tells Data that he wants to survey the damage on the old city. Troi protests this, stating that Riker could get hurt, but he overrules her, telling her she has her orders and to carry them out. The three officers beam up and Riker and Data proceed.

The conspicuous targeted attack leads Picard to suggest that Zorn may have more information about the aliens than he is letting on and orders Riker to seize him (admittedly illegally) so that they may interrogate him further. After he confirms with Troi that attacking the ship will not violate the Prime Directive and orders phasers prepared, Q appears, mocking Picard by telling him that savage Humans never seem to follow even their own rules.

Act Nine [ ]

Q says he expected force from Picard, when the motives of the ship should be clear. Picard orders the Enterprise in between the ship and the planet, but Worf says his helm control has been lost.

In the Bandi city, Riker and Data find Zorn, who is now willing to explain, however, he is transported out of his office while he screams in horror. Riker reports in to Picard about Zorn's abduction, speculating that Q might be responsible. Q mocks the crew for not knowing who abducted Zorn, but then Troi reports a feeling of satisfaction emanating from the alien vessel. Riker and Data return to the Enterprise . Q goads Picard into ordering an away team onto the vessel, which Picard resists, but Riker volunteers, independent of Q's mocking.

Act Ten [ ]

Attacked from orbit

Riker and the away team beam over to the entity and see that its corridors are exactly the same as the underground tunnels on Deneb IV. They find Zorn suspended in mid-air, being tortured. Riker and Data fire their phasers and free him. Suddenly, the ship pulses.

Picard attempts to beam the away team back from the entity but is unsuccessful. Q returns, now wearing the uniform of a Starfleet captain, and informs him that the time of the test has expired. Picard begs Q to let him rescue his people, even to the point of promising to do whatever he says if he does so. At that exact moment, the away team is transported back to the Enterprise , and Q and Picard appear ready to honor that hastily made bargain. However, Troi points out that it was the entity, not Q, that returned the away team to the Enterprise .

A spaceborne entity

Soon, the captain realizes the truth: the Bandi have captured an alien lifeform , a space vessel lifeform , and have constructed Farpoint Station and its goods by feeding off its power; feeding it the energy it needs just enough to keep it alive so it can morph into any shape Farpoint wants. The ship in space is not actually a ship, but rather the alien life-form's mate. Picard assists the captured alien by using the Enterprise 's phasers to deliver an energy beam to the entity allowing it to break free of its bonds, thus solving the mystery much to Q's dismay. Q then retreats, though he hints that it won't be the last time the crew sees him .

" Let's see what's out there. Engage. "

With the Farpoint mission over, the crew settles in. Picard asks Riker if he has a problem. Riker replies that he wonders if all their missions will be like their first. Picard assures him that he doesn't think so – they should be much more interesting. Picard orders Lt. La Forge to set a course, " Let's see what's out there. Engage. "

Log entries [ ]

• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2364
• Personal log, Jean-Luc Picard
• Personal log, William T. Riker

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Would you agree, Mr. Data, that Starfleet's orders are difficult? " " Difficult? Simply solve the mystery of Farpoint Station. " " Simple as that. "

" Farpoint Station. Even the name sounds mysterious. "

" Captain, I'm sensing a… a powerful mind! "

" Shut off that damn noise! Go to yellow alert. "

" Thou art notified that thy kind hath infiltrated the galaxy too far already. Thou art directed to return to thine own solar system immediately. " " That's quite a directive. Would you mind identifying what you are? " " We call ourselves the Q. Or thou mayest call me that. It's all much the same thing. I present myself to thee as a fellow ship captain so that thou mayest understand me. Go back whence thou camest. "

' Knowing Humans as thou dost, captain, wouldst thou be captured helpless by them? "

" Actually, the issue at stake is patriotism . You must go back to your world and put an end to the Commies. All it takes is a few good men! "

" He's frozen! "

" That nonsense is centuries behind us! " " But you can't deny, Captain, that you are still a dangerous, savage child race. " " Most certainly, I deny it. I agree we still were, when Humans wore costumes like that four hundred years ago. " " At which time you slaughtered millions in silly arguments about how to divide the resources of your little world. And four hundred years before that, you were murdering each other in quarrels over tribal god images. Since then, there has been no indication that Humans will ever change. "

" But even when we wore costumes like that, we were still making rapid progress! " " Oh yeah? You want to review your 'rapid progress?' "

" Sir, sickbay reports Lieutenant Torres' condition is better. " " Oh, concern for one's fellow comrade! How touching. "

" And now a personal request, sir; permission to clean up the bridge! " " Lieutenant Worf is right. As security chief, I can't just stand here and let – " " Yes, you can, Lieutenant Yar! "

" And later, on finally reaching deep space, Humans found enemies to fight out there, too. And to broaden those struggles, you again found allies for still more murdering! The same old story all over again! " " No, the same old story is the one we're meeting now. Self-righteous lifeforms who are eager, not to learn but to prosecute, to judge anything they don't understand or can't tolerate. " " What an interesting idea! Prosecute and judge! But suppose it turns out that we understand you Humans only too well. " " We have no fear what the true facts about us will reveal. " " Facts about you? Splendid, splendid, Captain! You're a veritable fountain of ideas. There are preparations to make, but when we next meet, Captain, we'll proceed exactly as you suggest. "

" Let's see what this Galaxy -class starship can do! "

" The prisoners will not be harmed… until they're found guilty. "

" Because I grew up in a world that allowed things like this court! And it was people like these that saved me from it! This so-called court should get down on its knees to what Starfleet is! What it represents! "

" I recognize this court as the one that agreed with that line from Shakespeare: 'Kill all the lawyers!' " " Which was done. " " Leading to the rule: Guilty until proven innocent. " " Of course, bringing the innocent to trial would be unfair. You will now answer to the charge of being a grievously savage race!! " " Grievously savage could mean anything. I will answer only specific charges. " " Are you certain you want a full disclosure of Human ugliness? So be it, fool. "

" Criminal! You will read the charges to the court! " (reads the charges silently) " I see no charges against us , Your Honor. "

" You have been told not to do that! Why can't you understand? It will arouse their suspicions, and if that happens, we will have to punish you! We will!! I promise you!! "

" Captain, the Ferengi would be very interested in a base like this! " " Fine. Let's hope they find you as tasty as they did their past associates. "

" Do you know anything about Farpoint Station, sir? Sounds like a fairly dull place. " " We've heard that we may find it rather interesting. "

" He calls that a little adventure? "

" Now hear this! Maximum, you're entitled to know, means we'll be pushing our engines well beyond safety limits. Our hope is to surprise whatever that is out there, to try and outrun it. Our only other option is to tuck tail between our legs and return to Earth as they demand. "

" Commander, signal the following in all languages and in all frequencies: we surrender. "

" What the hell? Children are not allowed on the bridge! "

" Get off the bridge, both of you! "

" You will command the saucer section, Lieutenant. " " I am a Klingon, sir. For me to seek escape when my captain goes into battle… " " You are a Starfleet officer, Lieutenant! "

" A captain's rank means nothing to you. " " Rather the reverse, sir. But a captain's life means a great deal more to me. "

" A personal favor, I'd appreciate it if you could prevent me from making an ass of myself with children. " " Sir? " " I'm not a family man, Riker, and yet Starfleet has seen fit to give me a ship with children aboard. " " Yes, sir. " " And I'm… not comfortable with children. But since a captain is supposed to project an image of geniality, you're to see that's what I project. " " Yes, sir. "

" Welcome to the Enterprise , Commander Riker. "

" Where will I find Commander Data? " " Commander Data is on special assignment, sir – he is using our shuttlecraft to transfer an admiral over to the Hood ." " An admiral ?" " He's been aboard all day, sir, checking over medical layouts… " " Why a shuttlecraft? Why wouldn't he just beam over? " " I suppose he could , sir, but the admiral is a rather… remarkable man . "

" Have you got some reason why you want my atoms scattered all over space, boy?! "

" I don't see no points on your ears, boy, but you sound like a Vulcan! " " No, sir. I am an android . " " Hmph. Almost as bad. "

" Well, this is a new ship. But she's got the right name. Now you remember that, you hear? " " I will, sir. " " You treat her like a lady… and she'll always bring you home. "

" Something's happening, sir! "

" If we're going to be damned, let's be damned for what we really are. "

" Do you consider yourself superior to Humans? " " I am superior, sir, in many ways. But I would gladly give it up, to be Human. " " Nice to meet you, Pinocchio ! " (Data looks perplexed) " A joke. " " Hmm. Intriguing. " You're going to be an interesting companion, Mr. Data. "

" Sir, maybe I should get something to wipe this water up. " " Good idea. "

" Either leave or finish us! " " Temper, temper mon capitaine , I'm merely trying to assist a pitiful species. "

" I'll attend to my duty. " " To the bitter end ? " " I see nothing so bitter about that. "

" Perhaps you and I? " " Tasha, you and the counselor. And Geordi, I want your eyes down there. "

" Would you object to your captain ordering a clearly illegal kidnapping? "

" Lucky guess. I see now that it was too simple a puzzle. Generosity has always been my… weakness. "

" Send it to our starship when it arrives. Charge to Dr. Crusher. "

" Captain? Wonderful! A feeling of great joy and gratitude! Great joy and gratitude from both of them. "

" Get off my ship! " " I do so because it suits me to leave. But I do not promise never to appear again "

" Some problem, Riker? " " Just hoping this isn't the usual way our missions will go, sir. " " Oh no, Number One. I'm sure most will be much more interesting. "

Background information [ ]

Production history [ ].

• Initial mention by Paramount Television president Mel Harris , at press conference: 10 October 1986 ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , pp. 26 & 53)
• Robert H. Justman suggests D.C. Fontana write the episode: 25 November 1986 [3]
• First story outline by D.C. Fontana: 5 December 1986 (titled " Meeting at Farpoint ") ( Creating the Next Generation , p. 65)
• First casting call released, noting absence of script: 10 December 1986 ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 13)
• Revised preproduction schedule by Robert H. Justman and Edward K. Milkis : 30 December 1986 [4]
• Projected date of first draft story outline [1] : 7 January 1987
• D.C. Fontana's delivery of first draft story outline (now titled "Encounter at Farpoint"): 8 January 1987 ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 66)
• Projected date of second draft story outline [1] : 14 January 1987
• Revised outline: 19 January 1987 ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 66)
• Green-lighting of first draft script assignment: 21 January 1987 ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 66)
• Projected date of first draft script [1] : 16 February 1987
• First draft script: 17 February 1987 ( Creating the Next Generation , p. 67)
• During first meeting of new series production staff, production issues from D.C. Fontana's script are discussed: 18 February 1987 ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 7)
• Projected date of second draft script [1] : 9 March 1987
• Second draft script: 16 March 1987
• Tentative post-production schedule by Peter Lauritson : 16 March 1987 [5]
• Projected start date of director [1] : 30 March 1987
• Second draft script: 3 April 1987
• Projected start date of first assistant director and casting (both episode-specific) [1] : 6 April 1987
• Projected date of [1] and actual submission of final draft script: 13 April 1987 [6]
• Projected final budget of episode [1] : 20 April 1987
• Projected start of filming [1] : 29 April 1987
• Breakdown of optical costs by Peter Lauritson: 12 May 1987
• Rehearsals: 26 May 1987 – 28 May 1987 ( "Encounter at Farpoint" production reports )

The first two daily production reports from the making of this episode

• Start date of filming, with holographic stream and parkland scene: 29 May 1987 ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 21)
• Projected start date, [2] and second day of production, with start of filming Farpoint scenes: 1 June 1987
• Third day of production, with filming of Leonard McCoy cameo: 2 June 1987 [7] (X)
• Projected [3] and actual end date of filming, concluding twenty-day shoot: 25 June 1987 ( [8] (X) ; Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 48)
• Projected end date of filming [2] : 26 June 1987
• Projected date of editor's assembly of footage [2] : 13 July 1987
• Shooting of ILM scenes: 16 July 1987 ("The Beginning", TNG Season 1 DVD special features)
• Projected date of director's cut [2] : 3 August 1987
• Projected date of producer's cut and studio screening [2] : 17 August 1987
• Projected date of final cut [2] : 19 August 1987
• Projected date of on-line assembly [2] : 20 August 1987
• Projected date of spotting , mixing, electrical effects (EFX), and additional dialogue recording (ADR) [2] : 21 August 1987
• Projected date of on-line assembly of titles and effects [2] : 28 August 1987
• Projected dates for more ADR [2] : 1 September 1987 – 2 September 1987
• Projected dates for score [2] : 3 September 1987 – 4 September 1987
• Projected dates for dubbing [2] : 9 September 1987 – 14 September 1987 (4 days)
• Projected date of video duplication [2] : 15 September 1987
• Projected date of delivery to network [2] : 16 September 1987
• Private screening held for the crew at The Paramount Theatre: 27 September 1987 [9]
• Premiere airdate: 28 September 1987
• Projected premiere airdate [2] : 3 October 1987
• UK premiere ( BBC2 ): 26 September 1990

Footnotes [ ]

• ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 This date is according to the revised preproduction schedule which was issued on 30 December 1986. [1]
• ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 This information is according to the tentative post-production schedule which was issued on 16 March 1987. [2]
• ↑ This information is according to the episode's daily production reports.

Introduction [ ]

John de Lancie, Patrick Stewart, and Director Corey Allen filming a scene

• This episode is the series premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation . It was the third live-action pilot episode (the other two being TOS pilots " The Cage " and " Where No Man Has Gone Before ") and the fourth pilot in general (counting TAS : " More Tribbles, More Troubles "). According to Beyond the Final Frontier (p. 78), though, this first TNG episode technically wasn't a "pilot", as such, because TNG had already been commissioned at the time of its making. On the other hand, much of the documentation used in its production referred to this project as a "pilot". In fact, this was the first Star Trek pilot which was presold as a series. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 24)

Story and script [ ]

• In a press conference that announced a new Star Trek series on 10 October 1986 , Paramount Television president Mel Harris declared that, in the fall of 1987 , "a two-hour telefilm" would launch the upcoming series, which was already entitled Star Trek: The Next Generation . ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , pp. 26 & 53)
• At the first TNG meeting Rick Berman and Gene Roddenberry attended, the length of this then-forthcoming episode was the subject of heated debate between Roddenberry and Paramount . Berman stated, " There was some contention, because the studio wanted a two-hour pilot and Roddenberry only wanted to do a one-hour pilot. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 48) The meeting was held in Roddenberry's office and, according to Berman, was "a big blustery argument." One of the debaters was President of Paramount Network Television John Pike . " The premiere episode we have to make a splash with, " he recalled thinking, " and that must be a two-hour episode […] I thought Gene was going to come across the table at me, 'We're not doing a two-hour and I'm not writing a two-hour.' And I said, 'Gene, quite frankly, if you do not do this, I will bar you from the lot. We are going forward with a two-hour.' I don't know who's going to write it, and now everybody is looking around the room and nobody is saying nothing. " Pike was bluffing to Roddenberry. In reality, Pike was anxious that, with tens of millions of dollars at stake if Roddenberry refused to produce the episode as a two-hour pilot, he would decline to do so and simply leave instead. As an awkward silence descended on the room, Pike found no one present was backing up his claim. ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge ) Although he had accompanied Pike to the meeting, Berman chose to totally stay out of the debate. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 12 , p. 16) Relaying Roddenberry's response, Pike noted, " He knew I was dead serious. " ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge ) However, the issue of this episode's duration became the subject of a long-running dispute. As a compromise, the studio even attempted to persuade Roddenberry to agree to do a ninety-minute pilot instead. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 24) Commented Producer Robert H. Justman , " I know […] we were having problems with the studio, which couldn't seem to make up its mind whether it was gonna be a two-hour pilot, an hour pilot, or a 90-minute. And so, " he laughed, " we were going around and around with them. " [10] Berman continued, " There was a lot of arguing, a lot of very high-level executives came in. " ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part One: Inception , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features)
• The TNG creative staff began to focus their work on the details of this first episode after concentrating on the show's backstory. For the writers, the presold nature of this episode meant the pressure was on introducing the characters instead of trying to sell the show. However, the work of the writers was not any simpler as a result. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., pp. 21 & 24)
• In a one-page memo Robert Justman wrote Gene Roddenberry about the Crusher family and their relationships with Picard (the memo was dated 11 November 1986 ), Justman concluded the document by expressing that the end of this initial episode could feature the departure of Beverly Crusher. He recommended, " In a bittersweet emotional love scene in the Captain's 'Ready Room,' Wesley's mother bids farewell to Picard and entreats him to protect and nurture her son. She leaves at the end of the premiere episode content only with the knowledge that Picard will be both mentor and surrogate father to her only child. " [11] In hindsight, Justman exclaimed, " Well, that certainly didn't work out! " ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 12 , p. 17)
• Though Gene Roddenberry was recognized as the "creator" of Star Trek in general as well as Star Trek: The Next Generation in particular (in addition to the original Star Trek series), he needed to delegate some of his responsibilities in crafting this episode, as well as the series at large. For example, the producers needed guidance on a script for the pilot episode. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 55) In a one-page memo Robert Justman sent Roddenberry (on 25 November 1986 ), Justman proposed that D.C. Fontana "could write 2 hr. opener and/or episodes." Although he also listed five other writers in the same memo, Fontana was the only one Justman suggested tackle the series premiere. [12] In late 1986 , Roddenberry called Fontana with an invite to work on the outing. She recalled, " I was asked to come in, by Gene, and he said, 'Would you write the pilot?' " ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge ) Years after the incident, Fontana reflected that she was "intrigued and drawn into the process" because of this invite. [13] Fontana was hired to write the script, as a two-hour initial installment, by early December 1986 . ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 6) " So I was writing introduction of the new Enterprise , the new crew, the new captain obviously, " she remembered. ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge ) Although Fontana was hired to write the episode while the deadline for initiating preproduction on it was approaching, she almost immediately ran into trouble because no one seemed absolutely sure what she should do; as of December 1986, Paramount was yet to decide whether the episode should be two hours, ninety minutes, or an hour in length. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 30)
• An early version of D.C. Fontana's first story outline, bearing the working title "Meeting at Farpoint" (and dated 5 December 1986), was more focused on action than the episode ultimately became and had several plot points and names that were also different from the final product. For instance, Groppler Zorn was named "Elzever". The captain of the Enterprise -D, which had just completed a successful mission, was Julien Picard instead of Jean-Luc Picard, first officer was Kyle Summers, and security chief was Macha Hernandez instead of Tasha Yar. Summers was promoted to captain and was scheduled to take over command of the science vessel Starseeker at Farpoint Station. While in orbit of that facility, crew transfers included Lieutenant Commander William Ryker, Lieutenant Commander Data, Dr. Beverly Crusher and her fifteen-year-old daughter, Leslie. Ryker and Data shared a deep friendship. Following the transfer, an alien vessel appeared near the planet and sent a message that all personnel had to beam to the planet or all would die. The captain of the Starseeker was preparing to have his ship fire photon torpedoes at the newly arrived vessel, but before he could do so, the Starseeker was destroyed. At Picard's orders, the crew of the Enterprise -D beamed to the surface and made contact with their enemy, the Annoi, an ape-like species with a high technology. The Annoi enslaved both the crew and the inhabitants of Farpoint, and forced them to mine the mineral balmine. An away team including Data, Ryker, Troi, and Hernandez got aboard the Annoi ship, and, with the help of Leslie Crusher's knowledge about the vessel's layout, Troi then learned that there was no engineering room aboard the ship – the "ship" was actually a lifeform. This lifeform had been enslaved by the Annoi and needed balmine to survive. ( Creating the Next Generation , pp. 64-65) Noted Fontana, " I did want the reveal at the end to be a true surprise, that it wasn't a mystical something, it was a creature. " ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part One: Inception , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features)
• The series' first casting call, which was sent to talent agencies on 10 December 1986 , predicted that the two-hour "TV movie" would start filming at the end of March 1987 but also noted there was no script yet available for the project. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 13)
• DeForest Kelley 's cameo as an aged McCoy was a late addition to the story and was devised by Gene Roddenberry. " It came about as a result of, I think, a meeting between him and De, " remembered Robert Justman. " I think it had been on Gene's mind. " The scene was written after Roddenberry sought Kelley's permission for it to go ahead. [14] It was written into a later version of the first draft story outline (dated 8 January 1987 ), while the episode was now called "Encounter at Farpoint".
• In the same outline, the Annoi became the Annae, the people who were living at Farpoint. Data was described as looking eastern, and the story also featured Doctor Ansenzi, Dr. Crusher's predecessor as the Enterprise -D's chief medical officer.
• Subsequently, D.C. Fontana submitted a revised draft of the outline (on 19 January 1987 ). ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 66)
• Between submitting the two different drafts of the installment's story outline and receiving approval to proceed to the script stage, D.C. Fontana found that the running length of the pilot was still under review. " It had been decided between Roddenberry and Justman that the outline I had was enough for ninety minutes and that I should develop that material. As I began writing the script, and throughout the writing of the first draft, the length of the script kept bobbing up and down from two hours to an hour and a half to one hour and back up again, " Fontana explained. " I was told that this was due to the fact that the decision had not been made as to whether the premiere would have a 'history of Star Trek ' section, a behind-the-scenes section, or an extended preview section in addition to the dramatic story. Or whether it would be all story. " Fontana was asked, every few days, by Roddenberry's attorney, Leonard Maizlish – who had started to come to the studio daily – about whether she thought the script might be an hour, an hour and a half, or two hours. While the episode's duration was undecided, Fontana was attempting to develop the outline, a task that proved extraordinarily difficult, since she didn't know how long the episode was intended to be. ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 66)
• Eventually, both Gene Roddenberry and Leonard Maizlish told D.C. Fontana to simply concentrate on writing a ninety-minute episode, even though Fontana's contract specified she would be given a bonus if she wrote a two-hour pilot. Heeding their instruction, she instead developed the installment to be ninety minutes long, missing out on her bonus. ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 66)
• In the first draft script, the people who were living on Farpoint were still named the Annae, although Leslie Crusher was renamed Wes Crusher. Data was still described as looking eastern, but Dr. Ansenzi was now described as Dr. Crusher's assistant aboard the Enterprise -D. The story started aboard the starship Belvedere . Ryker first met Geordi La Forge and Ensign Sawyer Markham at Farpoint. The Enterprise started a twenty-year mission to explore the galaxy and had to protect Farpoint Station from an alien vessel. ( Creating the Next Generation , pp. 66-70)
• Gene Roddenberry and Leonard Maizlish finally revealed to D.C. Fontana that the episode would indeed be two hours in length. ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 66) The studio had decided to make the episode two hours long so that it could be halved into a pair of hour segments for later broadcast. In the meantime, however, there were other issues which could potentially have an impact on the episode's pacing and duration. " By that time, we felt that our script was short for a two-hour, " said Robert Justman, " plus the fact that by that time we knew who was going to direct it. " Justman had previously worked on multiple occasions with the chosen director, Corey Allen , and therefore knew he usually paced scenes faster than any other director. This meant the production would definitely require a longer script than Fontana had written. [15]
• According to TNG Research Consultant Richard Arnold , D.C. Fontana declined the opportunity to write the extra thirty minutes. " Gene wanted Dorothy to write the two-hour script, " Arnold stated. " She said she couldn't do it. She said, 'I can't in less than two weeks.' " ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge ) However, Fontana herself recollected, " I was ready and willing to expand my story to encompass the additional half hour. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 67)
• Instead, Gene Roddenberry chose to write the extra material himself. " Gene said, 'Don't worry about expanding your story. I'll put a frame on it, Dorothy,' " relayed David Gerrold . D.C. Fontana herself noted, " I was told that Roddenberry would write what came to be called 'the prequel.' " Gerrold added, " When Gene said he would put the frame on it, Dorothy said, 'There goes my bonus.' Gene said, 'Don't worry, we'll take care of you.' " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , pp. 66-67) Gerrold retrospectively alleged, too, that the reason Roddenberry gave for arranging to do so much writing on the episode was actually dishonest. Explained Gerrold, " He says, 'I have to add thirty minutes to the script because the studio wants my name on the pilot,' which was a lie. " Richard Arnold claimed that the real reason why Roddenberry took on the task of fleshing out the script was that he was capable of writing extremely well under pressure whereas Fontana wasn't. ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge ) Nonetheless, the situation reminded Fontana of an earlier scenario in which, while working together on Star Trek: The Animated Series , Roddenberry had caused her to lose out on money she was rightfully owed, due to a promotion in her career, while he sneakily acquired those finances for his own salary. ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 67) Recalling what happened after she submitted the first draft of the "Encounter at Farpoint" teleplay, she noted, " The script was taken out of my hands and it was totally rewritten by Gene. " ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 128 , p. 47) According to the reference book Creating the Next Generation (p. 67), the first draft script was submitted on 17 February 1987 . However, according to the book Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission (pp. 30 & 40), Fontana completed her work on the script in mid-March 1987, when she turned in "a revised draft of a ninety-minute version of 'Encounter at Farpoint'."
• As Robert Justman remembered, the ship separation sequence was a late addition which helped flesh out the script from ninety minutes to two hours. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 24) David Gerrold recollected, " When Dorothy wrote 'Encounter at Farpoint', and we had the ship split into two parts, one of the women crew members was left in charge. Next thing, when we get the script back, here's this Klingon head of security, named Worf […] So, that's where Worf comes from. After months of Gene saying no, suddenly it gets written in. " ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part One: Inception , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features) Both Worf and the saucer separation idea were introduced in the second draft of the script. ( Creating the Next Generation , p. 72) Despite identifying that draft as having been Roddenberry's rewrite of Fontana's script, Justman himself took credit for scripting the saucer separation sequence. The reason this plot point wasn't scripted until such a late draft of the teleplay was that the TNG creative staff needed to first seek Paramount's approval to have the Enterprise capable of saucer separation at all. By the time the studio allowed for that to be the case, the production crew was just about to start filming the episode. Justman explained, " I wrote it cut by cut, exactly what would happen while you're in the master scene. I wrote each individual cut to show the editors and the people who were making the photographic miniatures, compositing, what we needed, what else we needed. " [16]
• Gene Roddenberry's newly-added framework introduced the character concept of Q. ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 67) Originally, that character was instead meant to be introduced in a later entry of the forthcoming series. ( Beyond the Final Frontier , p. 77) Although all the other members of the writing team very gently tried to advise Roddenberry that the Q subplot wasn't very good (immediately recognizing Q as clearly a direct copy of Trelane from TOS : " The Squire of Gothos "), he was adamant about writing it into this episode. " He said, 'Trust me, the way I'll do it, the fans will love it,' " recounted Gerrold. ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 67)
• Gene Roddenberry was working on the Q subplot when avid Star Trek fan Doug Drexler , who later worked extensively on the series himself, visited the TNG offices for the first time. During a chat with Edward K. Milkis and Robert Justman there, Drexler overheard a plot detail from this story. " While I was talking to Eddie and Bob, Roddenberry bursts into the room and says, 'I've got it! The captain stops the ship, turns around, and surrenders,' " Drexler recalled. " And Gene turns and looks at me and he sees a blank look on my face, and Bob says, 'Gene, you don't realize what you just did to this guy.' " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 64)
• Although Gene Roddenberry had recently been suffering from chronically lagging energy levels, Robert Justman was pleased that he was, by now, physically able to do so much work on the installment. " He finally hit his stride on the opening episode, on 'Farpoint', after Dorothy turned in her teleplay and made her revisions, " Justman recalled. " Time was getting short, and Gene took it and rewrote it, and that's when he got up to speed, finally – that's when he really started cooking on all cylinders and turned in a terrific rewrite. I mean, he added the Q character and really, some elements that hadn't been there. " [17]
• Although he was baffled by what the story was about, John Pike was adamant about how little he would influence Gene Roddenberry in its writing. " There was no way in the world I was gonna give any notes whatsoever to Mr. Roddenberry, " he emphasized. ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge )
• According to the book Creating the Next Generation (p. 72), the Q subplot wasn't introduced into the script until the next "draft" after the one that first involved the saucer separation, which the book cited as the second draft of the teleplay. The book added that Q was also an aspect of all subsequent script drafts. However, at least one version of the second draft script did include Q. Picard surrendering the Enterprise was another element of that same script, in which Gene Roddenberry subsequently made numerous handwritten notes in preparation for creating the final draft of the script. According to Richard Arnold, the script that introduced Q was delivered by Roddenberry one week after D.C. Fontana finished her work on this entry. ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge )
• The McCoy scene was kept secret, so much so that his name wasn't referenced in the script and isn't in the completed episode's dialogue either. ( Beyond the Final Frontier , p. 78) The handwritten notes by Roddenberry obscured all references to "McCoy", changing them to "Admiral" instead. The final draft script described McCoy as 147 years old, rather than 137. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 24; [18] )
• In the final draft script, the stardate was originally given as 42353.7. The other stardates were 42354.1, 42354.22, 42354.71, and 42372.5. [19]
• The founding date of the New United Nations was given as 2016 in the shooting script, whereas the setting of Q's courtroom was given as 2049 . These were changed to 2036 and 2079 respectively. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 24; [20] )
• In the script, the frozen lieutenant's name was Graham. It was changed to Torres in the filmed episode. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 24; [21] )

Crosby "frozen" in court

• Also, in the final draft script, Q froze both Tasha and Troi during the mock trial. Yet, in the episode, only Tasha gets frozen and eventually revived. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 24; [22] )
• Another change was that the final draft script didn't have Picard's line, " Lets see what's out there. " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 24)
• Because the pacing of many of the filmed scenes turned out to be insufficiently long (due to Corey Allen's very fast-paced filming style), Robert Justman wrote to Gene Roddenberry and Rick Berman (on 10 June 1987 ) about the need for some additional scenes to be written to "pad out" the episode, in order to make the episode fill the two-hour airtime. Such scenes, the contents of which were suggested by Berman, were actually devised at essentially the last minute. They included the conversation between Crusher and La Forge in sickbay as well as Picard's more cordial reintroduction to Crusher shortly thereafter. [23] (X)
• Due to Gene Roddenberry's rewrite work on this installment, the episode went to the Writers' Guild of America for credits arbitration. ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge ) As described by D.C. Fontana, this was an automatic and fairly usual process for any episodes whose development involved heavy revision or rewrite. [24] In a handwritten note from Fontana to David Gerrold about this episode's arbitration, she stated, " Needless to say, you never saw this. I'm in touch with the Guild on it. " The Guild's conclusion was that the episode would have a split writers' credit between Roddenberry and Fontana. In hindsight, Gerrold remarked, " What he had done was jump her credit. He was now getting half the residuals for that episode, and that's in perpetuity. " In Richard Arnold's opinion, though, the split credit was a fair summation of how Roddenberry and Fontana had devised the script. ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge )

Cast and characters [ ]

Marina Sirtis with five background actors during filming

• Despite having proclaimed that he regarded TOS as the only true Star Trek in 1986, DeForest Kelley was eager to appear in this episode. ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 52; [25] ) Robert Justman reflected, "[Gene Roddenberry] invited De to lunch and he says, 'How would you feel about it?', expecting De to say, 'No. NO' – and De said, 'I'd be honored.' And not only that, not only did he say 'I'd be honored,' but he refused to take any more than SAG scale [salary]. He could have held us up for a lot of money, and he didn't. " [26] According to D.C. Fontana, Kelley "loved" the line in which McCoy advises Data, " You treat her like a lady and she'll always bring you home. " ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part Two: Launch , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features) This episode marks Kelley's final television appearance before his death on 11 June 1999 , discounting his appearance in DS9 : " Trials and Tribble-ations ", which was archive footage from Star Trek: The Original Series .
• Colm Meaney ( Miles O'Brien ), John de Lancie ( Q ), Richard Sarstedt ( Enterprise -D officer ), and David B. Levinson ( post-atomic court spectator ) are the only actors, besides the regulars, to appear in both this episode and the finale "All Good Things…". Denise Crosby ( Natasha Yar ) also appeared in both episodes, but she was no longer a regular at the time of the finale. In addition, Colm Meaney and Patrick Stewart are the only actors to appear in the pilots of both TNG and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (indeed, Patrick Stewart delivered the opening lines of both premieres, the former as Jean-Luc Picard , and the latter as Locutus of Borg ). Meaney, however, also appears in both shows' finales, as do Levinson and Michael Dorn ( Worf ).

Brent Spiner, Denise Crosby, and Patrick Stewart share a light-hearted moment on the set

• When Patrick Stewart was preparing to assume the role of Captain Picard, he did some research that encompassed reading "the pilot episode over and over and over again," in his own words. By the time Stewart realized how life-changing the role might be for him and he started getting nervous about auditioning for it, Corey Allen had been hired to direct the first installment, so he helped Stewart get through the auditioning process. ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part Two: Launch , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features)
• Brent Spiner ( Data ) read this episode's script to determine if he was interested in playing Data. Reading the teleplay showed Spiner that indeed he was. ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part Two: Launch , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features)
• Yar actress Denise Crosby was happy with this episode, stating, " I think they did a great job. " An element of the outing she cited as "really interesting" was the presentment of the Q character. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 12 , p. 19)
• On the other hand, Jonathan Frakes ( Riker ) wasn't satisfied with this episode. He commented, " The first episode really felt like two stories forced together […] I think the look of the pilot had the quality of the original. " Frakes also deemed it not as good as the later installments, because the company knew their characters better by then and were less anxious over discovering whether the show would succeed. ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 155) He said, " I think we were all floundering around trying to find out who we were; when you look back at the pilot you can certainly sense that we had a sort of Data-like wonder in our eyes! " ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 12 , p. 19)
• Marina Sirtis ( Troi ) felt likewise. " It was difficult to watch the pilot with my hands over my eyes; I didn't feel it was working really well, " she admitted. Sirtis was particularly embarrassed about her own performance in this episode. ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 100)
• This episode marks David B. Levinson's first Star Trek appearance. He reprised the same role in the finale, " All Good Things... ", and also appeared in other roles in the episodes " Rascals " and " Frame of Mind " but received more credit as regular background character Broik and stand-in for Armin Shimerman during the seven-year run of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• This episode is the only TNG episode in which a male stunt performer doubled for an actress. In this episode, an unknown stunt performer doubled Denise Crosby's fight scene in the courtroom.
• Martin Valinsky , one of the post-atomic courtroom soldiers , later worked as a stand-in on Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country .
• Consulting Senior Illustrator Andrew Probert made a cameo appearance as a post-atomic courtroom spectator .

Proceeding with pre-production [ ]

• The production design of this installment was based on the episode's narrative. " Once the bits and pieces of the 'Farpoint' story really started to come together, " offered Rick Sternbach ," that's when the memos and the sketches really started to go back and forth between the art department and the production office. " ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part One: Inception , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features) When the new series production staff met for the first time as a full group on 18 February 1987 , specific production issues stemming from Fontana's pilot script were discussed by the team. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 7)
• As production manager for this episode in February 1987, David Livingston witnessed first-hand how the arrangements for the episode were developing. " I was in a trailer by myself, " he explained. " The rest of the guys were in the writers' building, but they didn't have any space for the production. I was the only one in it for a couple of weeks while they were gearing up […] They were doing some preproduction planning. They needed someone to come in and finalize the pilot as well as hire the crew. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 70) Hence, one of Livingston's responsibilities was to finalize a production budget for the pilot. He was amazed by how much money Paramount was investing in the start of the making of a television pilot, later recalling, " At that time, when I saw the budget, I went, 'Wow. I mean, this is incredible that Paramount's willing to take this kind of financial risk.' " ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part One: Inception , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features) He elaborated, " The way the pilot was written, we didn't have to make substantive changes to make a budget. We didn't film a budget, we filmed a pilot. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 117)
• According to Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 12 , p. 42, illustrators Andrew Probert and Rick Sternbach, while working on this episode, developed a system whereby Probert usually designed ships and Sternbach mostly focused on designing props. However, both Farpoint Station and the space vessel lifeform were designed by Sternbach. He created concept artwork of both elements. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , pp. 49 & 50)
• Although production on this episode was at first planned (in such documents as a November 1986 schedule and the aforementioned casting call from December 1986) to begin in late March 1987, that month came and went without filming started. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 13; Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 48)
• Corey Allen was extremely keen to direct this episode. He was particularly attracted by the "Q" story line, interpreting the character of Q as a metaphorical representation of questions he believed are constantly asked, mentally, by each and every person, about oneself and their own worth. " I really believe that my understanding of that Human questioning is what I brought to the episode, " he noted. ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , pp. 155-156) Allen was selected as the episode's director by Thursday 19 May 1987 . His name was displayed on several clapperboards used on that date. ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part One: Inception & Part Two: Launch , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features)
• Being very familiar with Corey Allen, Robert Justman expected difficulties with him directing "Encounter at Farpoint". Allen trusted Justman and they had a good friendship. However, the director had gotten in trouble while shooting other shows because he employed a very demanding camera technique. Another issue was his aforementioned quick pacing. " And not only that, he would never hold onto the end of a scene – he'd chop it short, " stated Justman. " And so there were these problems that I knew, and I knew there'd be some of these problems with Corey. " [27]

DeForest Kelley's TNG screen test

• Wardrobe and makeup tests of DeForest Kelley as an elderly McCoy were filmed on Wednesday 20 May 1987. Recalling the events of that day, D.C. Fontana said, " He came in to visit one day when we were prepping, and I handed him the scene and I said, 'Would you like to do that?' He said, 'Well, yeah, but will they let me?' And I said, 'Are you kidding?' " Fontana laughed " 'You're DeForest Kelley.' " Although the camera tests demonstrated Kelley wearing a combination of makeup and grease paint on his face, appliances were instead used to depict McCoy in the episode, because he was meant to look older than what the tests showed. It was also decided that, whereas he was wearing a TOS movie-era Starfleet uniform in the camera test, Admiral McCoy should be portrayed wearing a civilian outfit. ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part Two: Launch , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features) The Farpoint set was the subject of similar camera tests a week later, on Wednesday 27 May 1987 . ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part One: Inception , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features)
• According to Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 12 , p. 25, Costume Designer William Ware Theiss and Make-Up Supervisor Michael Westmore were "hard at work" while the pilot script "took shape." However, Westmore joined the production staff either on 27 or 28 May 1987, just a couple of working days before shooting started. ( Information from Larry Nemecek )

Sets and props [ ]

The background actors on set

• During Doug Drexler's first visit to the TNG offices while this installment was being written, none of the sets had yet been built. They were under construction by the time David Livingston arrived to serve as the production manager for the pilot, for a few weeks in February 1987 . When Livingston arrived, Production Designer Herman Zimmerman had "three soundstages full of the most unbelievable sets you could imagine," in Livingston's words. ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , pp. 64, 70, & 116) That month, Michael Okuda was also assigned to work on the main sets. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 29) The sets were still under construction as of mid-March 1987, while production loomed. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , pp. 30, 40, & 41)
• During preproduction, the color of the walls proved to be a point of contention. " I had to go in on a weekend to discuss the color of sets for painting, " David Livingston recalled. " All the creative people and producers were standing around on a weekend discussing the color of a wall. It was crazy. It wasn't necessary. To me, it was silly. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 70)
• This episode ultimately debuted many sets which had been redressed from the aborted Star Trek: Phase II project. Among them were the corridor sets, which had previously been seen as the corridors of the refitted Enterprise (NCC-1701) in the first feature film , Star Trek: The Motion Picture . For the film, only the portion of the corridor set beginning just past the sickbay doors and ending just past the Engineering set – approximately three-quarters of the eventual set – had been constructed, ending at a T-junction (itself a freestanding wall which went on to be seen throughout the new series) just past sickbay. The corridors were not extended to the configuration seen in later seasons until the start of the second season . The metallic wall was also placed outside the holodeck doors on many occasions when it was necessary to see the Enterprise -D from within the simulation (it can be differentiated from the Stage 8 corridor complex by different lighting and the fact of those corridors having three segments on the wall opposite the holodeck door, versus the standalone wall, which has four segments). ( citation needed • edit )
• For the first season of the series, the metallic walls in the hexagonal corridor outside the transporter room, as well as the three-segmented walls in the main corridors, were much more reflective than they came to be in later seasons. They had previously had this appearance in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and retained this appearance until the show's third season . ( citation needed • edit )
• In this episode, the holodeck door is seen directly opposite the blind corridor leading to the transporter room, where an alcove containing a turbolift appears later in the series. In this instance, the producers took advantage of the large open space behind the corridor walls to build a partial in-studio set of the simulated Earth forest. This was one of only several instances where the actors could step directly from the starship sets and into a simulated holodeck environment. This small set can also be seen in " 11001001 ", " The Big Goodbye ", and " Elementary, Dear Data ", among other episodes. ( citation needed • edit )
• For most of its later appearances, when a crewmember activated a holoprogram and was seen entering or leaving the holodeck, the scene took place on a small section of the Enterprise -D corridor, specially erected outside a duplicate holodeck entrance. This had to be done because of space concerns – large sets, such as the simulated London from "Elementary, Dear Data", could not be placed behind the door in the Stage 8 corridor set, both because of limited space on the sound stage, as well as the more mundane problem of the turbolift placed behind the door just to the left of the holodeck entrance. ( citation needed • edit )
• The bird sculptures seen in Q's courtroom appeared again in the final episode " All Good Things... ". The sculptures can also be seen in Karnas ' office in the first season episode " Too Short A Season " and in the bar on Qualor II in the fifth season episode " Unification II ".
• The diamond-shaped chrome shelf unit in the Farpoint Mall set evidently came from Kirk's apartment in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . It can be later seen in Tasha Yar's quarters in " The Naked Now " and at the Café des Artistes in " We'll Always Have Paris ". [28]
• This is one of a few episodes where the vertical blinds in Doctor Crusher 's office in sickbay are opened and several windows with a starfield behind them can be seen. In later episodes when the blinds are opened (like " Man Of The People " and " The Quality of Life "), a corridor with several doors can be seen behind the window. The sickbay set also appeared in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , with Dr. Crusher's office playing the role of a medical lab; for that appearance, the blinds were open as well, offering another view of the corridor backing. In all cases, the corridor behind the blinds was realized by a re-use of a matte painting originally seen in Star Trek: The Motion Picture , and later re-used for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , in both cases extending a practical corridor set farther than was physically possible. In the first film, this painting was positioned outside the doors to main engineering , and can be seen from within the engine room; in the second, it was positioned outside a turbolift door. In this episode of The Next Generation , it can be seen in the final moments of Data's conversation with Admiral McCoy, replacing a turbolift door at the end of the blind corridor outside the transporter room.
• In this episode only, the central biobed in sickbay is seen without a cushioned covering, similar to how it appeared in Star Trek: The Motion Picture . In later episodes, the transparent biobed surface is covered by a fabric cushion the size and shape of the biobed. ( citation needed • edit )
• On close inspection, the drug dispensers that Q and his fellow soldiers from World War III wear as part of their uniforms are labeled "Army R2D3PO-D", a reference to the Star Wars 'droids R2-D2 and C-3PO . [29]
• Sections of the set constructed for the Klingon Bird-of-Prey in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home were reused for Groppler Zorn's office. Specifically, the hallway outside of Zorn's office was a reused section of the Bird-of-Prey's hallway, and the three yellow lights behind Zorn's desk were reused from the Bird-of-Prey's transporter room. ( citation needed • edit )
• One of the shelves from the Bandi marketplace at Farpoint Station appeared in the next episode, " The Naked Now ", in Deanna Troi's quarters. ( citation needed • edit )
• This episode's workload included changes made to Paramount Stage 16 . " For 'Encounter at Farpoint' I put a very large crater off to one side in a good portion of the stage, " stated Herman Zimmerman. This allowed the shooting company to film below the level of the other sets by approximately twelve feet. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 12 , p. 26) The Farpoint set was also located on Paramount Stage 16. ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part One: Inception , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features)

Production [ ]

• Whereas TOS pilots " The Cage " and " Where No Man Has Gone Before " had been allowed much more time to evolve, the shooting company that worked on this episode knew, by the time the project entered production in May 1987, that it would need to be finished by September that year. This was because the episode's premiere airdate had already been tentatively scheduled for then. The company had approximately five weeks in which to produce the episode, a relatively very quick schedule. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , pp. 47-48)
• Although Paramount was contractually obligated to deliver a full first season's worth of new Star Trek episodes to television networks, the production crew and main cast members were under the impression, since the first season technically wasn't guaranteed, that this episode might be the only one the studio would produce. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 57)
• The first footage to be shot was the scene where, at a holographic parkland and stream, Riker first meets Data and Wesley Crusher. Extremely nervous and insecure about filming TNG because he had had very little camera time, Patrick Stewart was glad that he didn't work the first day, when this footage was shot. ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part Two: Launch , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features) The scene was filmed on Friday 29 May 1987, at Fern Dell Drive, Griffith Park , where the weather was clear during the location shoot. ( Daily production reports from "Encounter at Farpoint" ) Gene Roddenberry drove to the location with his mistress and assistant Susan Sackett , and during their drive, Sackett suggested to him that Geordi La Forge's visual device might be called a "VISOR". ("Log Entry 37", Inside Trek: My Secret Life with Star Trek Creator Gene Roddenberry [ page number? • edit ] ) Patrick Stewart, whose first scenes as Picard were due to be filmed on the next production day, also attended the location shoot, merely as an observer, because he felt it was all he could do to experience what the filming was like. ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part Two: Launch , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features) After a crew call at 6 am and a shooting call at 6:45 am, the first shot was taken at 7:28 am. From 12 pm, the shooting company took half an hour to have lunch. They then returned to work, with filming resumed at 1:28 pm and concluded at 5:39 pm. ( Daily production reports from "Encounter at Farpoint" ) Stewart related, " Water, as I remember, played a big part in that day's filming. " ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part Two: Launch , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features)

An early promotional photograph, taken after the first day's filming on Stage 16

• On the call sheets, McCoy was referred to simply as "Admiral", and no indication was given in any way that this was to be McCoy. This was done to keep his appearance a secret until the episode's premiere on television. [31] The McCoy scene was filmed on Tuesday 2 June 1987. [32] (X) That day's filming also included the first footage involving Patrick Stewart playing Picard.
• On Friday 5 June 1987 , the company filmed for the first time on the sets for engineering and the observation lounge. The first filming on the set of the Enterprise -D's main bridge followed on Monday 8 June . [33] (X) It was around this time, when the episode had been in production for a week, when Michael Dorn was called in to audition for the role of Worf. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 22, No. 2, p. 20)
• Corey Allen's very quick pacing began having a tangible effect on the production by Wednesday 10 June 1987 . On that date, Robert Justman wrote to Allen with specific notes on how to get more out of what was yet to be filmed: the "Q courtroom" scenes and some footage on the set of the Enterprise 's main bridge. [34] (X)
• On Friday 12 June 1987 , the company filmed scenes involving Groppler Zorn suspended in mid-air aboard the angry space vessel lifeform. Other scenes they shot that day included footage in the same alien's corridor-like internals. [35] (X)
• All scenes involving Q were filmed during the last two weeks of the four-week production schedule, since John de Lancie was involved in a theatrical play, and could only be available from mid-June onwards. Gene Roddenberry and Robert Justman were both keen on having de Lancie play the part and were willing to adjust the schedule in order to accommodate the actor. ( citation needed • edit )

Corey Allen directing a scene in the courtroom

• The company undertook a four-day shoot on the "Q Courtroom" set on Paramount Stage 16. This period began on Monday 15 June 1987. [36] (X)
• The extra character scenes that were devised to "pad out" the episode were filmed on Friday 19 June 1987. [37] (X)
• The production shoot was scheduled to take twenty days and finish on Thursday 25 June 1987. The final scenes to go before the cameras were various bluescreen shots on the main bridge set. Overseen by Corey Allen, the filming wrapped on schedule. [38] (X) According to Patrick Stewart, however, the episode's making took twenty-one and a half days. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 21, No. 2, p. 48)
• David Livingston was left with mixed opinions of how difficult this episode's creation had been. He stated, " Shooting the pilot wasn't difficult […] The only thing that stands out in my mind was the issue over the color of the walls. If that's the most profound thing I remember about a problem, then you can gather the pilot went over smoothly. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 70) On the contrary, he also remarked, " Well, the pilot was really hard, because there was such a sense of wanting to have everything just right, perfect. You can't make it perfect, but there was such a desire to say let's really do this right, and no stone was left unturned. " ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part Three: The Continuing Mission , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features)
• The production of this episode is featured in the TNG Season 1 DVD special feature "The Beginning".

Visual effects and editing [ ]

• Built for this episode was a two-foot model of the Enterprise -D and a six-foot model of the ship. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 22, No. 2, p. 33)
• Before any of the visual effects footage could be shot, candidates for doing this work needed to bid against each other, even though the episode was meanwhile on a very tight schedule. Recalled Robert Justman, " I had to set dates […] for when [the ship] would go to the various optical houses to bid on filming this stuff, […] as to when it would be filmed, as to when the material would be delivered to us so we could put it together with the show and get it done in time so we could go on the air in September 1987. " Fortunately, every scheduled date was met on time, and the bidders who responded included Industrial Light & Magic . To additionally prepare for the VFX to be shot, Justman and Edward K. Milkis wrote a shopping list of shots of the Enterprise that they felt were absolutely necessary, for both the pilot and the series at large. [39]
• ILM did the special optical effects for this episode only but was also credited for the rest of the series because footage was continuously reused. Noted Peter Lauritson , " The reality of the situation is that they did effects for the pilot, but even then they just did the raw material; our team composited them. " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 12) Robert Legato added, "[ILM's workload] included about 40 ship shots and miniatures of creatures and villages. Then editor Ron Moore , associate Gary Hutzel , and I composited the shots at Paramount. We augmented what they did and didn't do. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 32-33) Under ILM artists Pat Sweeney and David Carson , the team filmed the fire and explosion scenes with the " Old Bandi City " model on 16 July 1987 . ( "The Beginning", TNG Season 1 DVD special feature )
• Robert Justman pointed out that the saucer separation sequence was done precisely as he had written it. " It was filmed that way and it was cut that way, intact in the show as you see it today, " he noted. [40]
• A deleted scene from this episode included footage (filmed on 12 June 1987 ) of tentacles which reached out of a wall of the alien lifeform and grabbed Troi and Riker. Deciding these special effects looked too hokey, the producers removed the scene from the episode. [41] (X)
• Corey Allen's faster-than-usual scene pacing affected the editing of the episode. " As I had feared, the show was woefully short when we cut it together, " explained Robert Justman. " In order to make the show two hours we had to skillfully edit it and cut it not as tight as we ordinarily would for pace. " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 24)
• This episode contains no teaser , beginning instead with the opening credit sequence. For the syndicated version of this episode, a teaser is formed out of the first several minutes of the episode proper, ending with Q's "warning" of death to Picard and crew, should they not "go back" to Earth.

Soundtrack [ ]

• Once Gates McFadden better understood her character's emotional range, she re-recorded her lines in a studio, with her characterization greatly softened. The lines she re-recorded included at least some of those at the Farpoint mall. ("Log Entry 37", Inside Trek: My Secret Life with Star Trek Creator Gene Roddenberry )
• This was the first of eleven TNG Season 1 episodes scored by Composer Dennis McCarthy . With its ninety-minute running length, the pilot required a lot of music, and the results would be vital to much of the series' success. " The main request was to keep it lush and romantic and to try to sound like a hundred players rather than the 38 that we used, " McCarthy recalled. " I scored it in a romantic vein, instead of playing up the science fiction, and I used synthesizers to make the orchestra sound larger than it was. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 19, No. 3, p. 46)
• According to the reference book Beyond the Final Frontier (p. 78), the incidental music in this episode was based on a theme tune that was originally meant to be TNG's title music but was ultimately unused, replaced relatively late in the day by the main theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture , by Jerry Goldsmith .
• According to Dennis McCarthy, he originally used the TMP main theme a lot in this episode. " I tried to use the Goldsmith theme when I was first writing the pilot episode, but I felt I needed something a little softer, that I could stretch out a lot more, " said McCarthy. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 19, No. 3, p. 46)
• The scene depicting the Enterprise -D's saucer separation is the first instance since TOS : " The Cage " where a series' entire title theme was included in an episode. In this case, although the arrangement of the theme matches that of TNG's first several seasons, the actual orchestration does not match any theme music actually audible in the title sequence (it can be distinguished by bells which can be heard at 0:19 and 0:52). This music was not made a part of the commercially available soundtrack that was later released for this episode , although it did feature as part of 2016 's Star Trek: 50th Anniversary Collection , as an alternate take on the series' season 1 theme.
• For this episode's score, Dennis McCarthy made frequent use of the eight-note theme which had been previously used, by Alexander Courage , to represent the USS Enterprise . This was because he felt it important that audiences accept the Enterprise -D as the new starship Enterprise . ( citation needed • edit )
• The theme that is played when Q floats into the courtroom in his judge's chair was originally composed by Dennis McCarthy for "The Rescue", an episode of the 1984 series V . In that episode, it is played during the wedding of aliens Diana and Charles (played by Jane Badler and Duncan Regehr ). The theme is heard again in the last episode of the series, "The Return", where it sounds shortly before a fake shuttle, used by the alien leader, is destroyed.

Credits sequences [ ]

• This episode is the only one with the credits scrolling up instead of the text fading, as was done in the other 177 episodes.
• In its original airing, the main cast members were credited only with their names and not alongside their character's credits as they were during the run of the series (as in "Starring Patrick Stewart" instead of "Starring Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard", etc.) This was done because, on its original airing, it was billed as a television movie. The syndicated version features the regular first season opening.
• Unlike other episodes, this episode does not have the "Executive Producer Gene Roddenberry" credit at the end. However, in the edited two-part version, it does. In the original version, Roddenberry is credited as "Executive Producer" instead of "Created by" in the opening credits.

Reception [ ]

• At the end of production on this episode, Gene Roddenberry made an announcement which hinted at how extremely proud he was of the installment. " I remember when we finished the pilot of Next Generation , " recalled Herman Zimmerman , " and Mr. Roddenberry said, 'People say you can't go home again, but we just proved that under the right conditions you can.' " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages , p. 13)
• Paramount was uncertain of how much potential this pilot episode (as well as the forthcoming series that would follow it) would have. The studio feared that audiences would reject a new cast of characters and actors. ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages , p. 30)
• Footage from this episode was originally unveiled in early August 1987 . Mel Harris demonstrated the footage, via satellite, to the personnel of 170 television stations across the United States, which would initially air the new series. Harris did this as part of a large-scale promotional campaign to generate interest in the yet-unaired pilot and the subsequent series. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 1st ed., p. 22)
• A completed version of this series opener wasn't available for the producers, cast, and crew of TNG to watch until a week before the episode was first broadcast. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 57) Then, the episode was given a screening at the Paramount Theater. " I remember watching the first episode at Paramount, " offered Wesley Crusher actor Wil Wheaton , " and at the end of the opening credits, when the Enterprise sort of flies underneath the camera and you can see a little person walking in the conference room, I just got chills. " The screening was followed by a party. However, extremely embarrassed about her performance in this episode, Marina Sirtis didn't attend the party. " I just grabbed my date and escaped! " she exclaimed. " We were in the middle of shooting [other episodes] and I was going to see everybody on Monday morning, but I just couldn't face them after the screening. " ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 12 , p. 19)
• This episode was also screened in the executive conference room at Paramount. " All the hitters and everybody that was important [was there] , and up we put on the big screen 'Encounter at Farpoint', " said John Pike. " Everybody looked at it and they were visually knocked out at how stunning the two-hour looked. As I assumed, everyone would look at it and go, 'What is this about?! What in the world is that thing that looks like a big jellyfish?!' It didn't really even have an ending, and it was a smash! " Pike remained puzzled about the episode's story. He conceded, " To this day, I have no idea what that episode was about. " ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge )
• D.C. Fontana's writing of this show delighted Paramount. " The studio was thrilled with her work on 'Encounter at Farpoint', " noted David Gerrold. ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 76) However, Fontana herself was unhappy with how the episode turned out, noting, " The whole Q storyline […] I felt didn't fit with the other story line [concerning Farpoint Station]." ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 128 , p. 47) She clarified that her problem with the episode wasn't anything to do with John de Lancie's participation in it (on the contrary, she thought he did "a wonderful job"), but was merely about how the Q character was "thrust into that story." She went on to elaborate, " It was like, this is not what the story was supposed to be about. It was supposed to be about the mystery of Farpoint and putting this new crew together. " ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge ) In contrast, Fontana described McCoy's line, " You treat her like a lady and she'll always bring you home, " as "lovely." ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part Two: Launch , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features)
• Rick Berman found that the Q plot line ended up as "the most interesting and exciting part of that episode." ( Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek - The Next Generation , Part One: Inception , TNG Season 1 Blu-ray special features)
• Corey Allen thought very favorably of this episode. His enthusiasm regarding the pilot was inspired by his interpretation of the Q character as a metaphor for Human questioning. " The script turned me on immediately […] I think what Gene Roddenberry did was put two adversaries on the screen so they could effectively deal with those questions […] [The Farpoint scenario] wasn't as important to me as the concepts we've been talking about, " he remarked. " There had to be an issue for the Enterprise to face, and it was okay with me that that was the issue, but the best part for me was that at first we failed to see that there was sentience; that there are passionate beings other than those that resemble ourselves. I thought that was a very nice issue to raise. We don't always recognize other sentient beings and it's analogous of the way we treat each other […] So I like the point it made, although it could have been any issue there. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , pp. 155-156)
• Robert Justman noted that, due to the relatively "loose" editing of the episode, " at times that two hours drags a bit here and there. And that's strictly because we didn't have enough material. If we'd had enough material, we would have been pacier and of course it would have been written that way. " However, Justman not only approved of Gene Roddenberry's adjustments to the episode's script, such as the addition of Q, but was also pleased that the saucer separation sequence was retained. He also held high regard for DeForest Kelley's cameo, remarking, " It was just great; it really got to me, the way he did it [the scene]. It really got to me; it was a beautiful, beautiful scene. " [42]
• In common with Justman, Richard Arnold thought Gene Roddenberry did a "brilliant job" with his work on the writing of this episode. ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge )
• Maurice Hurley opined, " I thought the execution was herky-jerky, because it was the first show. Having, basically, God tell man you've come far enough; that everywhere you've come, everything you've touched, you've sullied. I love that. I thought that was just awesome. There were also a lot of little things in it that I loved. Beyond that, it has the problems of the first episode of any show. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 156)
• Michael Piller stated, " I think the Q thing did come out of a time requirement, but there isn't any question in my mind that the best thing in the show is that Q story. If it had been only that other story, it would have been a disappointment. The other thing that comes out of 'Farpoint' is a vision of Roddenberry's where we have Picard arguing for the future of mankind, representing the advocate of Humanity to this Q who puts Humanity on trial. That's an extraordinary, philosophically ambitious idea, and it really helps to define why Star Trek is what it is. Without that, it would have been spaceships and monsters and special effects. " Piller also liked how the story structure of "Encounter at Farpoint" doesn't introduce Riker, Crusher, and La Forge until relatively late in the episode. ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages , p. 19)
• Writer David A. McIntee opined, " 'Encounter at Farpoint' was hideously dull. " ( Delta Quadrant , p. 13)
• This episode was initially aired during a period in the history of Star Trek 's fan base when disagreement was rife as to how successful the new series would be. " I vividly recall the anticipation and discord leading up to the premiere of The Next Generation , " noted Ain't It Cool News film and TV critic Glen C. Oliver. ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 53) Mark A. Altman explained, " If you look at 'Farpoint', there was a feeling of doom and gloom, everyone saying, 'Lightning can't strike twice […] No one thought this series was going to work, including a lot of the fans. " ( Trek: Deepspace Nine , p. 66)
• The pressure of whether this pilot episode would succeed caused Marina Sirtis to start to feel very insecure. " It suddenly hit me a week before the pilot aired that if it didn't work out, " she remarked, " we were going to be destroyed […] If I had sat and thought about it logically, I would have known that wasn't going to happen. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 100)
• Upon its debut airing, this episode garnered incredible ratings. ( SciFiNow , issue 123, p. 034) It beat its prime-time network competition in Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, and Seattle. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 22; Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 57) The record-breaking ratings were achieved by ninety-eight independent television stations and 118 network affiliates that ran the episode. However, the cast, crew, and Paramount executives knew that, in reality, these massive ratings might just be the one-time result of viewer curiosity. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 57)
• Despite the huge ratings this episode received, "Encounter at Farpoint" was just one of many bones of contention among the production staff at the time the installment first aired. ( SciFiNow , issue 123, p. 034)
• However, "Encounter at Farpoint" was well received by most critics and fans. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 12 , p. 19) The tactic of trying to keep the McCoy scene a secret was largely successful and led to the scene becoming a pleasant surprise to fans on premiere night. [43] (X) The holodeck was also immediately popular, which Starburst magazine (issue 428, p. 26) speculated may have been due to the drenching of Wesley Crusher during this inaugural appearance of the holodeck. Another aspect of the episode that was popular with fans (as well as the writing staff) was John de Lancie's portrayal of Q. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 21, No. 2, p. 28)
• In a review of this installment, Ed Bark of the Dallas Morning News , writing for the Knight-Ridder-Tribune service, commented that the episode "soared with the spirit of the original," representing a "fine redefining of a classic and a considerable breakthrough for non-network syndicated television." ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p. 22)
• Martha Bayles of the Wall Street Journal described this episode as a "cross between Masterpiece Theatre and an action cartoon – in other words, full-blown kitsch." ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 58)
• John Carman of the San Francisco Chronicle was unimpressed by this installment but declared the series had "potential." ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 58)
• Monica Collins of USA Today characterized the episode as "a fabulous meshing of story, character, and special effects," which "succeeds brilliantly." ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 58)
• Don Merrill reviewed "Encounter at Farpoint" for TV Guide . He gave the episode and the forthcoming series a positive appraisal, particularly for its optimistic view of Humanity's future. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 58)
• Cinefantastique (Vol. 21, No. 2, p. 26) scored this episode two and a half out of four stars.
• This episode was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in 1988 .
• In their review reference book Trek Navigator: The Ultimate Guide to the Entire Trek Saga (pp. 72-73), authors Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross each wrote a generally mixed review of this episode. Altman scored the episode two out of four stars but was highly impressed with how "Encounter at Farpoint" managed to "reenergize" the Star Trek franchise. Gross rated the installment three out of four stars. Despite feeling that the installment borrowed too heavily from Star Trek: The Motion Picture (particularly the reunion scene between Riker and Troi being clearly similar to Decker and Ilia reuniting in that film), both Altman and Gross felt the episode still worked, primarily due to John de Lancie's performance as Q. Both writers also related that they found the McCoy scene to be another highlight, Altman describing it as "pure joy." On the other hand, however, he pointed to Roddenberry's conjecture about the existence of post-atomic courts in the 24th century as "one of Trek 's less optimistic visions of the future." Gross considered "the Farpoint scenario" as "a bit tame" but approved of how its theme of looks being deceiving reflected thematic material in TOS. Gross was also not entirely happy with the performances of the main cast, remarking that although they, especially Patrick Stewart, demonstrated great potential, he did not think so highly of the portrayals of Deanna Troi and Natasha Yar. Altman summed up his opinion of the episode by commenting, " The pilot may do little more than get the franchise back on its feet, but that's really all it had to do and it does it competently. " In conclusion, Gross referred to the episode as " an enjoyable first effort with spectacular effects. " Elsewhere, Altman regarded this installment as one of a few "really sub-par" episodes in the early run of TNG. ( Trek: Deepspace Nine , p. 73)
• In their reference book Beyond the Final Frontier (pp. 76 & 78), writers Mark Jones and Lance Parkin described "Encounter at Farpoint" as "an episode with a lot to introduce" and remarked it was "at pains to make clear" that, over the past hundred years since TOS, the Star Trek universe had evolved. The writers went on to comment, " The Farpoint plot is fairly light and unsatisfactory, but the Q stuff is more promising. Nowadays, the episode doesn't feel like The Next Generation at all and seems very slow. It's an OK start, not a brilliant one. "
• The book Star Trek 101 (p. 72), by Terry J. Erdmann and Paula M. Block , lists this episode as one of the "Ten Essential Episodes" from Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• In Empire magazine (issue 326, p. 26), critic Helen O'Hara referred to this episode as "far from a classic."
• In his TNG rewatch, Keith R.A. DeCandido commented, " This two-hour premiere is bogged down a bit by a languid pace, way too much exposition, and a plot that isn't actually all that interesting. The acting from many of the regulars is stiff. The episode also spends a whole lot of time distancing itself from its predecessor […] For all that, there are acknowledgments to the past […] Where this pilot does work, though, is in the non-stiff performances. Patrick Stewart has a tremendous gravitas in the role of Jean-Luc Picard. You never doubt for a moment that he's in charge, and that he's twelve steps ahead of everyone else – even the omnipotent guy. Speaking of whom, John de Lancie is a revelation, as the screen lights up when he's on it (and drags to a halt when he isn't). And Brent Spiner is delightful as the android Data. Plus, there's a guy walking around the corridors of the Enterprise in a minidress. Whole episode's worth it for that. It set up what was to come, but isn't a lot of fun to watch, especially when you know the show's going to do better. " Ultimately, DeCandido rated the episode a score of four out of ten. [44]

Aftermath [ ]

• After completing his work on this episode, Edward K. Milkis left the series. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 55)
• Conversely, the first airing of this episode marked the start of Rick Berman's long association with Star Trek . " It was the beginning of a journey of exploration… for Picard and his crew, and also for me, " Berman mused. " My life was about to change in remarkable ways. I would soon undertake a progression of steps… a process of learning about Star Trek , but, more important, a process of learning how to open my mind and my imagination to the limitless possibilities of Gene Roddenberry's vision. " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. XI)
• After their collaboration on this episode, Robert Justman didn't find out what the problem had been in the interpersonal relations between D.C. Fontana and Gene Roddenberry but reckoned that it may have been because Fontana "didn't like being rewritten, on 'Farpoint'." [45]
• When it seemed to Gene Roddenberry as though David Gerrold was about to file a lawsuit against him for not acknowledging Gerrold's role in creating TNG, Leonard Maizlish asked D.C. Fontana what sources she'd used when writing the pilot episode, to which Fontana remembered she'd been supplied with, firstly, a writers' guide and, secondly, memos which had addressed subjects that had not yet been featured in the writers' guide. ( Gene Roddenberry: The Myth and the Man Behind Star Trek , paperback ed., pp. 239-240)
• Not long after the making of this episode, Gene Roddenberry and John de Lancie had a discussion in which Roddenberry gave the actor a memorable piece of advice. "[He] said I had no idea what I was getting into, " de Lancie related. " I say those words with a sense of pride and a bit of glee in the same way he said them to me, but of course, I had no idea at the time. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , pp. 106-107)
• Although filming in a pit lower than other sets would usually be prohibitively expensive for a one-camera TV series, the fact that a pit (in Paramount Stage 16) was dug for this episode meant it could be reused multiple times as the series progressed. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 12 , p. 26)
• Michael Piller was so fond of how this episode's narrative belatedly introduces Riker, Doctor Crusher, and La Forge that, when writing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's pilot episode " Emissary ", he chose to introduce Jadzia Dax and Julian Bashir relatively late in that episode in a similar way. He commented, " One of the tricks I learned from watching 'Encounter at Farpoint' again was that they didn't introduce Riker and Geordi and Crusher until two or three acts in. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages , p. 19) In fact, according to Mark A. Altman , there were many aspects of this episode that the DS9 creative personnel learned from upon designing that series, Altman citing such qualities as " things to do, things not to do, certainly in terms of money and production value. " ( Trek: Deepspace Nine , p. 66) Furthermore, Rick Berman credited his experience with working on this episode as key to helping launch Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 23, No. 6, p. 22)

Continuity [ ]

• This episode is the first mention of the Ferengi Alliance on Star Trek . It is hinted at being a non-benevolent enemy of the Federation, and the Ferengi were intended to be the new villains for the TNG crew, because peace had been made with the Klingons. This idea was eventually abandoned, however, after the Ferengi made their first appearance and were not taken seriously by the actors and later writers. ( Quark's Story , DS9 Season 2 DVD special feature) [46]
• Picard can be heard using the phrase, " Now hear this, " repeatedly in the first part of the episode, preceding his orders to the entire ship's company. This is a fairly standard military protocol that is audible again in " Yesterday's Enterprise " and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country .
• While the wording of Picard's initial captain's log could imply that Starfleet had selected Riker for the position of first officer, " The Pegasus " later clarified that Picard had personally chosen Riker for the position.
• During Picard and Riker's formal first meeting on board the Enterprise -D, Riker mentions that Picard previously served as a first officer himself. However, no mention of Picard serving in this position is ever made again; it is indicated in " Tapestry " that Picard taking command of the USS Stargazer after its captain was killed was considered a risky move, while this would be the natural course of action for a starship's first officer. It is possible that the incident cited led to Picard's promotion to first officer, with him being given command at some later time.
• In this episode, Data states that he graduated from Starfleet Academy in the " Class of '78 ", which, given TNG's establishment in the 24th century , could be either "2278" (meaning Data would have been in Starfleet for twenty-three years at the beginning of the 24th century) or "2378". However, this contradicts the dating that has since been established for TNG – Data himself specifically states in " The Neutral Zone " that the Earth year at that time was 2364 . In addition, other episodes established that Data was not built until 2336 and that he graduated from the Academy in 2345 .
• Also, Data uses a couple of verbal contractions in this episode (" We're right next to it, " in reference to the holodeck wall, and " I can't see as well as Geordi, sir… "), something which is established later in the series as being beyond his abilities.
• This is the only time in TNG and subsequent series that an additional captain's log entry is referred to as "supplementary", rather than the usual "supplemental".

In the episode's last scene, the crew assembles to leave Deneb, with Yar and Troi wearing the skirt style uniform

• This episode marks the last time that Counselor Troi is seen in a regular Starfleet uniform until TNG : " Chain Of Command, Part I " with the exception of TNG : " Future Imperfect ", although in the latter case, Troi – as well as the entire events of that episode – turn out to be an illusion.
• When we first meet Doctor Crusher at the Farpoint Mall, she can be seen wearing the rank insignia of lieutenant commander. In her next scene aboard the Enterprise , this is changed to the rank insignia of full commander. This was likely a costuming error; furthermore, it was later established that Crusher had taken the Bridge Officer's Test a couple of years before joining the Enterprise to earn her promotion to Commander ( TNG : " Thine Own Self "). Until Troi becomes a full Commander in Season 7 , Crusher and Riker are the only "three pips" seen as part of the crew, not counting imposters or Katherine Pulaski , who replaced Crusher for season 2.
• Riker calls Troi "Lieutenant", while she is wearing the rank insignia of a Lieutenant Commander, which remains her rank until her promotion in season 7. The proper abbreviation for Lieutenant Commander is simply "Commander", as seen for Data and later Geordi La Forge and Worf and indeed other Lieutenant Commander's throughout the franchise. It is very unlikely to be a character error since an experienced Starfleet officer like Riker would be aware of this convention. However, it is possible that Troi's promotion is recent, and this is the first time Riker has seen her since it happened, and he called her by her previous rank out of habit.
• Crusher tells Riker that her interests "lie outside the command structure" in this episode. Based on the fact that, later in the series, when Crusher is left in command of the Enterprise and is also depicted commanding the night shift in " Descent " and " Thine Own Self ", her interests may have changed.
• This episode marks the first time that a saucer separation is ever depicted on screen. While the Enterprise -D separated three more times (at least on screen, specifically in the TNG episodes " The Arsenal of Freedom ", " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II ", and the film Star Trek Generations ), "Encounter at Farpoint" is the only time the reconnection process is ever shown in Star Trek . At the time of filming the pilot, the maneuver was intended to be a regular feature of the series. However, the producers soon found the costs for visual effects and rebuilding the battle bridge set too expensive. It was also felt that it slowed down storytelling. ( Star Trek Encyclopedia , 2nd ed., p. 431)
• Apparently at some point during this mission, Geordi La Forge told Data a joke, which the humorless android did not "get" until years later, when he activated his emotion chip during the events of Star Trek Generations .
• Picard describes the facsimile 2079 court created by Q as " one that agreed with that line from Shakespeare : 'Kill all the lawyers.' " This is a line from Shakespeare's play Henry VI, Part II .
• When Riker is walking to the holodeck to find Data, the Computer directs him that it is "the next hatchway on your right". However, based on the direction Riker was walking, the door was actually to his left. The line may have been based on stage directions, as Riker turns around before facing the door to enter.
• When Riker, Data, and Wesley leave the holodeck, Wesley is soaked in water, which drips on the floor, and he tells Captain Picard he'll get something to clean it up. However, as later established, the water should not have been able to leave the holodeck. This is the first of several times when incidental matter like water or ice leaves the holodeck despite it being established this isn't possible, at least not beyond a few moments.
• The 2360s combadges are first seen in this episode and continued to be used up to the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode " The Jem'Hadar ".
• Troi's statement, " I'm only half-Betazoid. My father was a Starfleet officer, " could be interpreted that no other Betazoid had ever served in Starfleet who could have been her father. " The First Duty " mentioned a high ranking full Betazoid Starfleet officer by the 2320s , though.
• The courtroom is supposedly set in 2079, while first contact with the Vulcans, which is regarded as the turning point which leads to a peaceful, civilized Earth, happened in 2063. This suggests that the societal changes that followed took at least sixteen years to get underway. This may help explain Vulcans' attitudes towards Humans in 2153, and T'Pol 's skepticism that the progress Humanity had made would last; they would have observed a substantial period of brutality of the kind seen in the courtroom scene before Earth cleaned up its act.
• This episode is the only time that " Startime ", a subdivision of Stardate , is mentioned in the series.
• The Star Trek: Picard episode " The Star Gazer " establishes that when Picard said, " Let's see what's out there " at the end of this episode, he was quoting something his mother used to say to him as a boy, when looking up at the stars.

Apocrypha [ ]

• When Groppler Zorn threatens to give access to Farpoint Station to the Ferengi Alliance, Picard remarks that he hopes the Ferengi find Zorn as tasty as they did their past associates. The novel The Buried Age establishes that the Ferengi's early reputation as a dangerous race was merely propaganda established by Grand Nagus Zek because the Ferengi, after hearing early reports about the Federation and their moneyless economy, decided that the Federation might well be insane if they truly did not seek profit. Zek also threw funding into a large military buildup in order to preserve their appearance as a dangerous race and in order to defend themselves against the Federation, should it prove necessary.
• The novel Provenance of Shadows establishes that, immediately after telling Data, " You treat her like a lady and she'll always bring you home, " McCoy thought to himself, " Except that wasn't so true for Jim , was it? " referring to Kirk's presumed death aboard the USS Enterprise -B .
• Provenance of Shadows also establishes that McCoy's tour of the Enterprise was a birthday present arranged for him by his wife, Tonia Barrows . This seems to somewhat clash with the episode's script, as Worf tells Riker that McCoy was onboard to conduct all-day inspections of the ship's medical facilities.
• The episode's novelization indicates that Picard, if Riker had given any indication that he might actually back off from his position of not compromising Picard's safety, would have booted Riker immediately off the Enterprise and right back to the Hood but that he was very impressed with what Riker had to say.

Remastered version [ ]

• The remastered version of this episode greatly increased the quality of the shots, though one shot used in the composite "recap" sequence seems to have not been upgraded. The increase in quality incidentally corrected colors that had "smudged" together at the lower resolution. The most notable differences because of this are in shots of Farpoint Station and the Old Bandi City, where the "brown smudges" have become green trees and individual buildings, respectively. The windows on the Enterprise -D are also now clearly distinguishable from each other, and the planet has also benefited from the upgrade, as an atmosphere can now be seen between the planet and open space. Also, the location of the phaser energy beam was corrected to come from the phaser array instead of the captain's yacht . The shot also included a CGI version of the Enterprise -D, based on the original six foot model . The attacking space vessel lifeform encountered by the Enterprise -D is also now clearly a shade of pink when compared to the blue one that was Farpoint Station.

Related merchandise [ ]

• Mission report, by Robert Greenberger , in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 1 , pp. 52-57
• Novelization : October 1987
• Soundtrack : 27 August 1988

Releases [ ]

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 1 , catalog number VHR 2261, 2 April 1990
• US LaserDisc : 11 October 1991
• As part of the UK VHS release Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Full Length TV Movies : Volume 1, catalog number VHR 4101, 16 January 1995
• US VHS 1st release: 31 May 1995
• Japan LaserDisc: 10 June 1995
• As part of the UK VHS collection Star Trek - 30th Anniversary Trial Pack : 2 January 1996
• US VHS 2nd release: 19 March 1996
• UK LaserDisc: April 1996
• Germany LaserDisc: 1996
• UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment ): Volume 1.1, catalog number VHR 4642, 20 April 1998
• As part of the US VHS collection Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum : 8 September 1998
• As part of the TNG Season 1 DVD collection
• As part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete TV Movies collection
• As part of the Star Trek: Fan Collective - Q collection
• As part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Next Level Blu-Ray collection
• As part of the TNG Season 1 Blu-ray collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
• Jonathan Frakes as Commander William T. Riker

Also starring [ ]

• LeVar Burton as Lt. Geordi La Forge
• Denise Crosby as Lt. Tasha Yar
• Michael Dorn as Lt. Worf
• Gates McFadden as Doctor Beverly Crusher
• Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
• Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data
• Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher

Guest stars [ ]

• John de Lancie as Q
• Michael Bell as Zorn

Special guest appearance by [ ]

Admiral of Starfleet Medical, "Bones" McCoy

• DeForest Kelley as Admiral Leonard McCoy

Featuring [ ]

• Colm Meaney as Battle Bridge Conn
• Cary-Hiroyuki as Mandarin Bailiff
• Timothy Dang as Main Bridge Security
• David Erskine as Bandi Shopkeeper
• Evelyn Guerrero as Young Female Ensign
• Chuck Hicks as Military Officer
• Jimmy Ortega as Torres

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Marti Avila as operations lieutenant jg
• Michael Bailous as operations officer
• James G. Becker as Youngblood
• Robert Vernon Biggs as post-atomic trial spectator
• Darrell Burris as operations officer
• Post-atomic trial spectator
• Dexter Clay as operations officer
• Jeffrey Deacon as command officer
• Susan Duchow as operations officer
• Roy Fussell as 21st century soldier
• Kelly Gallant as post-atomic trial spectator
• Joe Gieb as post-atomic horror bell ringer
• John Johnson as 21st century soldier
• Nora Leonhardt as sciences ensign
• David B. Levinson as post-atomic trial spectator
• Daryl F. Mallett as person in marketplace ( citation needed • edit )
• Tim McCormack as Bennett
• Lorine Mendell as Diana Giddings
• Larry Polson as post-atomic trial spectator
• Andrew Probert as post-atomic trial spectator
• Larry Robb as Bandi citizen
• Angelo Rossitto as post-atomic trial spectator
• Richard Sarstedt as command officer
• Martin Valinsky as 21st century soldier
• Enterprise -D civilians
• Enterprise -D sciences crewmembers
• Enterprise -D operations crewmembers
• Enterprise -D transporter officer (voice)
• Command crewmember
• Command lieutenant jg
• Command officer
• Female command crewmember
• Female command officer
• Female medical officer
• Female medical technician
• Female sciences officer
• Female USS Enterprise -D computer voice
• Operations officer
• Sciences lieutenant
• Security officer (voice)
• Post-atomic horror trial spectators
• Vulcan sciences ensign

Stunt doubles [ ]

• Bob Brown as stunt double for Brent Spiner
• William Perry as stunt double for Wil Wheaton
• Stunt double for Michael Bell
• Stunt double for Denise Crosby

Stand-ins [ ]

• James G. Becker – stand-in for Jonathan Frakes
• Darrell Burris – stand-in for LeVar Burton
• Dexter Clay – stand-in for Michael Dorn
• Jeffrey Deacon – stand-in for Patrick Stewart
• Susan Duchow – stand-in for Denise Crosby
• Nora Leonhardt – stand-in for Marina Sirtis
• Tim McCormack – stand-in for Brent Spiner
• Lorine Mendell – stand-in for Gates McFadden
• Richard Sarstedt – stand-in for John de Lancie
• Guy Vardaman – stand-in for Wil Wheaton

References [ ]

16th century ; 2036 ; 2079 ; 20th century ; 21st century ; 2227 ; 2364 ; ability ; accusation ; adjournment ; adventure ; administrator ; admiral ; adult ; advice ; aft ; age ; agreement ; alertness ; alien ; alliance ; ally ; Altair III ; amusement ; android ; anger ; annoyance ; answer ; apology ; applause ; apple ; aquarium ; architect ; argument ; armament control ; armory control ; army ; arrival ; Asian ; assault ; assignment ; associate ; " at ease "; atom ; attention ; automation ; automatic weapon ; away team ; back-up conn panel ; back-up ops panel ; bailiff ; baldric ; banana ; Bandi ; barbarian ; bargain ; barrel ; battle ; battle bridge ; battle section ; beard ; behavior ; belief ; bell ; bench (furniture); bench (law); Betazoid ; bio-electronic engineering ; bird ; blindness ; body ; bolt ; booth ; bowl ; brain ; bridge ; bridge crew ; Calypso ; captain (US Marines); captain (Starfleet); captain's chair ; captain's log ; captain's yacht ; case ; casualty ; century ; chair ( seat ); chance ; charge ; charge ; cheering ; chief medical officer ( CMO ); children ; choice ; cigarette ; circuitry ; citizen ; Class of '78 ; cloud layer ; collision ; combadge ; command chair ; command console ; command division ; command structure ; commander ; commanding officer ; commie ( Communism ); communicator ( communication device ); companion ; compliments ; computer ; computer record ; comrade ; conduct ; conn station ; Constellation -class ; console ; construction ; construction record ; contact ; cooperation ; coordinates ; countdown ; coral ; corridor ; costume ; couch ; counselor ; countdown ; court ; courtroom ; court system ; creature ; crime ; criminal ; Crusher, Jack R. ; culture ; curiosity ; " curry favor "; damage ; " damn it "; death ; deck ; degree ; delicacy ; demonstration ; Deneb IV ; departure ; desensitization ; desire ; desk ; despair ; destination ; desk ; DeSoto, Robert ; detector circuit ; directive ; discussion ; docking latch ; doctor ; door ; dream ; dullard ; ear ; Earth ; elevator ; Emergency Manual Override station ; emergency turbolift ; emotion ; empathy ; EM spectrum ; encyclopedia ; enemy ; energy ; energy beam ; engineer ; engineering ( engine room ); ensign ; Enterprise (CVN-65), USS ; Enterprise , USS ; Enterprise -A, USS ; Enterprise -B, USS ; Enterprise -C, USS ; Enterprise -D, USS ; Enterprise dedication plaque ; environment station ; et cetera ; event ( incident ); evidence ; Excelsior -class ; exobiology ; exploratory surgery ; explorer ; eye ; fabric ; face ; facility ; fact ; failure ; fair trial ; family ; family man ; Farpoint Station ; fear ; feedback ; feeling ; feet ; Ferengi ; Ferengi Alliance ; file ; fire ; first officer ; fish ; flag ; flower ; floor ; flower ; forebear ; force field ; force field grid ( grid ); fountain ; French language ; frequency ; friend ; fruit ; galaxy ; Galaxy -class ; Galaxy -class decks ; garrison cap ; generosity ; geosynchronous orbit ; geothermal energy ; gesture ; Globe Illustrated Shakespeare: The Complete Works, The ; god ; gold ; grape ; gratitude ; green ; greeting ; grief ; Groppler ; guilt ; gymnasium ; hand ; handshake ; harm ; hatchway ; hate ; head ; headband ; heading ; heart ; heat ; hello ; Henry VI, Part II ; Henry VI, Part III ; high resolution ; high warp velocity ; hole ; Holodeck area 4J ; hologram ; holoprogram ; homeworld ; honorary rank ; Hood , USS ; hope ; hostile ; Human ; Humanity ; Human history ; ice ; idea ; illusion ; image ; impulse drive ; imzadi ; identification ; identification signal (ID signal); inertia ; impulse power ; information ; infrared ; inhabitant ; innocent ; inquiry ; instruction ; intercom ; joke ; joy ; judge ; judge's bench ; judgment : jury ; kidnapping ; Klingon ; knee ; land mass ; language ; Latin language ; lawyer ; Library Computer Access and Retrieval System ( LCARS ); lieutenant ; lieutenant commander ; lieutenant junior grade ; lifeform ; line ; lion ; lionfish ; Livingston ; location ; log entry ; loneliness ; lounge deck ; low-gravity gymnasium ; machine ; machine gun ; magic ; main armament ; main engineering ; main phaser bank ; main viewer ; mall ; Mandarin ; maneuvering jet ; manual docking ; margin for error ; master systems display ; mate ; matter ; matter-energy conversion ; maturity ; maximum acceleration ; McCoy's shuttle ; meaning ; mechanism ; medic ; medical scanning device ; medical team ; medical tricorder ; meeting ; merchant ; message ; meter per second ; military ; military decorations ; Milky Way Galaxy ; million ; mind ; minute ; mission ; mission status ; model ; mother (mom); mountain ; MSD ; multi-spectral imaging sensor system ; murder ; name ; narcotic ; NCC-7100 ; necklace ; necktie ; need ; Neptune ; neural input ; New United Nations ; noise ; nonsense ; nose ; number one ; objection ; observation lounge ; office ; officer of the line ; official report ; Old Bandi City ; operations division ; ops position ; orbit ; orbital trajectory ; order ; PADD ; pain ; painkiller ; painting ; panel ; passage ( passageway ); patriotism ; pattern ; perimeter alert ; permission ; phaser ; phaser blast ; photon torpedo ; physician ; Pinocchio ; pitch angle ; place ; planet ( world ); " Pop Goes the Weasel "; portable communicator grid ; post-atomic horror ; power ; practice ; prediction ; prejudice ; primary hull ; primate ; Prime Directive ; printout ; prisoner ; prisoner's dock ; probability mechanics ; probation ; progress ; projection ; promise ; proof ; Propulsion Systems station ; prosecutor ; puzzle ; Q ; Q Continuum ; quarrel ; quarters ; question ; quote ; race ; radio silence ; radio wave ; rank ; readout ; ready room ; reason ; record ; recreation ; red line ; reply ; resource ; result ; reverse power ; risk ; roll angle ; room ; rule ; " run-of-the-mill "; safety ; safety limit ; safety precaution ; saucer section ; saucer separation ; savage ; sciences division ; sculpture ; secondary hull ; secret ; security chief ; security team ; self-righteous ; senor ; sensor scan ; sensor signal ; sentence ; service record ; Shakespeare, William ; shields ; shield control ; ship's company ; ship's log ; shop ; shopkeeper ; shopping ; sickbay ; sign ; signal ; silence ; simulation ; size ; skant ; smile ; snoop ; soldier ; soil ; Sol system ; son ; sound ; space ; space station ; space vessel lifeform ( unnamed 1 , unnamed 2 ); spaceship ; spectator ; species ; spoon ; SS 433 ; stairs ; " stand by "; standard parking orbit ; standing order ; stairs ; starbase ; stardate ; stardrive section ; Starfleet ; Starfleet Academy ; Starfleet Central Medical ; Starfleet record ; Starfleet uniform ; starship ; starship operations ; star system ; startime ; starving ; station keeping ; statue ; stone ; surrender ; strawberry ; stream ; stun setting ; suggestion ; summary judgment ; surface ; surprise ; suspicion ; sword ; table ; tactical station ; " tail between our legs "; team leader ; tear ; temper ; tendril ; testimony ; thing ; thought ( thinking ); thruster ; " To the bitter end "; Tom ; torpedo launcher ; torpedo pattern ; torpedo tube ; torture ; trade ; transfer ; transporter ; transporter beam ; transporter chief ; transporter console ; transporter room ; transporter platform ; tree ; trial ; tribe ; tricorder ; trigger ; tritanium ; Triton ; Troi, Ian Andrew ; tunnel ; turbolift ; turbolift door ; Turkana IV ; type 1 phaser ; type 2 phaser ; ugliness ; umbrella ; United Earth ; United Federation of Planets ; United States of America ; universal greetings ; unnamed plants ; USMC ; vegetation ; velocity ; view screen ; viewer ; viewport ; viewscreen ; viewscreen control ; VISOR ; voice ; volume ; Vulcan ; wall ; warp ; warp core ; warp speed ; water ; weapon ; weight ; whistling ; window ; woodland pattern ; word ; World War III ; year ; yellow alert

Dedication plaque references [ ]

USS Enterprise dedication plaque : Chief of Staff ; Design Engineer ; Federation Space Systems ; Mars ; A.G. Probert ; Roddenberry, Gene ; Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards

Other references (script, deleted) [ ]

2324 ; 2348 ; Altair IV ; " Beat to Quarters "; belt ; bugle call ; Bill ; burrhog ; capitalism ; coffee ; Cygnus IV ; design tremor ; dictatorial government ; distance ; docking crew ; docking speed ; Dreyer ; duraglass ; emerald green ; evaporation ; exit door ; foyer ; glass ; Graham ; horizon ; intelligence ; knowledge ; memory ; microphone ; mouth ; personality ; pill ; Markham, Sawyer ; Security and Weapons Officer ; skill ; spaceport ; spider web ; steel ; stretcher ; vapor ; visitor ; Weapons Station

External links [ ]

• "Encounter at Farpoint, Part I" at StarTrek.com
• " Encounter at Farpoint " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Encounter at Farpoint " at Wikipedia
• " Encounter at Farpoint " at the Internet Movie Database
• " Encounter at Farpoint " at MissionLogPodcast.com
• "Encounter at Farpoint" script  at Star Trek Minutiae
• 1 USS Voyager (NCC-74656-A)
• 2 Daniels (Crewman)
• 3 Star Trek: Prodigy

Screen Rant

Why q doesn't respect star trek's other god-level entities, despite their power.

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Star Trek's 10 Connections To A Nightmare On Elm Street

Star trek's greatest bromance is finally returning, ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​every time the gorn appeared in star trek (so far).

• Q holds a highly inflated sense of self and believes he is better than other god-like beings in the Star Trek universe.
• The Q Conflict reveals Q's reasoning for hating others and his past losses, showing that he can be defeated despite his arrogance.
• Q's attitudes towards other god-like beings remain unchanged throughout the timeline, as he refuses to help and only provides limited assistance when it suits his agenda.

The Star Trek universe is full of powerful, god-like beings, and Q respects none of them for a reason. The franchise’s resident trickster figure, Q creates chaos wherever he goes, and he unleashes a special kind of mayhem in Star Trek: The Q Conflict , not only on Starfleet but also on the other gods. As the conflict kicks off in issue one, Q makes a stunning revelation about his relationship with the Prophets, the Organians and other powerful Star Trek entities .

Star Trek: The Q Conflict #1 is written by Scott and David Tipton and drawn by David Messina. The crew of the Enterprise is evacuating a planet under threat from a supernova. During the mission, Q comes to Picard, and reveals he is partially to blame. Q explains that other god-like beings “believe themselves on the same level as the Q Continuum.” When this happens, he explains, the Continuum must remind them of their place.

These battles are of extraordinary magnitude, and can spill over into our reality.

Q Went to War in The Q Conflict

The haughty and arrogant Q made life miserable not only for Captain Jean-Luc Picard, but Captains Sisko and Janeway as well. In Star Trek: The Q Conflict , Q, along with the Metrons, Trelane and the Organians, held a contest to see who was superior. Rather than dirty their hands with the battle, each “god” used intermediaries, in this case the crews of various incarnations of the franchise. Among the other god-like beings appearing in the series include the Prophets , from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Q confronted the entities, and they reminded him of past losses.

Q made it clear that he does not respect the Prophets, the Metrons or any other god-like being in the Star Trek universe , and this issue reveals why. Q’s reasoning for hating others makes perfect sense in the context of his character. Q holds a highly inflated sense of self, and as seen in various episodes, other members of the Continuum share this perspective. Q genuinely believes he is better than these other races, despite being equals. The Q Conflict alludes to past losses by Q and the rest of the Continuum, showing that they can be defeated. Q’s arrogance is completely unfounded.

Related: Q Is Secretly At War With Another Star Trek God: Theory Explained

Q's Attitude Will Likely Never Change

Where exactly in the timeline The Q Conflict occurs was not revealed, but it must have been sometime before the god war that recently shook the franchise. This massive, universe-sprawling story reinforces Q’s attitudes towards other god-like beings. As Kahless was killing Gary Mitchell and others, Q initially refused to help. Q fled our reality, but ultimately gave Sisko a clue to the god-killer’s identity.

This is also in line with Q’s personality: he breaks things, but they often go back together in new and better ways. However, Q’s goodwill only goes so far, and it does not extend to the Star Trek franchise’s god-like beings.

8 Best Q Quotes In Star Trek: The Next Generation

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6 Weirdest Star Trek Easter Eggs

Star trek: 8 best holodeck creations ever, patrick stewart confirms star trek: the next generations's weirdest rumor.

• Q is a god-like entity with a perverse sense of humor who forms a love/hate relationship with Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
• Q's role is to guide and challenge humanity rather than destroy it, as he often sets obstacles that the Enterprise-D can overcome.
• Q is a memorable character due to his irritating but not-quite-evil nature, his contrast of humor and menace, and his role as a foil to the staid Picard.

There are many strange and exciting things to be discovered in the world of Star Trek: The Next Generation , from mind-bending anomalies to foes like the Klingons or Borg. But one of the strangest forces encountered by the Enterprise-D during its long-term exploration mission was Q (John de Lancie), a god-like entity with an especially perverse sense of humor.

Best Picard Quotes In Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation fans no doubt have their favorite Captain Picard quotes. It may even be one of these...

Q is both an occasional ally to and a thorn in the side, of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The two characters develop something of a love/hate relationship as their various encounters bring them face to face with alternate timelines, scientific conundrums, and deadly threats to the Federation.

8 "Generosity has always been my weakness."

"encounter at farpoint" (season 1, episodes 1 and 2).

Q's initial challenge for the human race is to solve the mystery of Farpoint Station. Picard and his crew realize that they need to free a powerful alien from captivity.

Q's comment about his apparent generosity is interesting, as it suggests that, for all his theatrics about presiding over the future of humanity, a part of him wants Picard to succeed. He does not set obstacles that the Enterprise -D is unable to overcome, demonstrating that the entity is interested in guiding humanity rather than destroying it.

7 "Sometimes I think the only reason I come here is to listen to these wonderful speeches of yours."

"True Q" (Season 6, Episode 6)

Q and Picard cannot exactly be called friends, but their banter is a key feature of their complicated relationship. In "True Q", Q responds to Picard's monologue about the differing moralities of the Q Continuum and the Federation by playfully complimenting Picard's custom of taking every opportunity to give a self-important lecture. Yet the pair have genuine affection for one another, despite their differing perspectives.

With decades of history, Star Trek holds plenty of weird easter eggs for one of the best sci-fi series.

It is this tension that helps to make Q such a memorable character. He is irritating, rather than evil, and there is a certain method to his madness. Indeed, Q's jester-like qualities make him the perfect foil for the staid Picard, resulting in one of Star Trek 's greatest double acts.

6 "Change is at the heart of what you are. But change into what? That's the question."

"hide and q" (season 1, episode 9).

The Next Generation 's writers often complained that Gene Roddenberry's enlightened humanity limited the kind of stories they could tell, but some contributors were still able to show enduring human flaws even in the enlightened twenty-fourth century. In "Hide and Q", the titular super-being tempts Commander Riker by offering to have him join the powerful Q.

Riker ultimately chooses to remain as a human, despite the great powers that the Q Continuum offers. However, both the episode and Q's dialogue demonstrate that, for all its advances, the human race has not finished evolving into its final form.

5 "They're simply interested in your ship, its technology. They've identified it as something they can consume."

"q who" (season 2, episode 16).

• "The Borg is the ultimate user. They're unlike any threat your Federation has ever faced. They're not interested in political conquest, wealth, or power as you know it. They're simply interested in your ship, its technology. They've identified it as something they can consume."

Q's doom-laden speech about the Borg sets out a new status quo that would come to define not only the remainder of The Next Generation , but would also inform shows like Deep Space Nin e , Voyager , Enterprise , and even Star Trek: Picard .

John de Lancie demonstrates considerable skills as a comedy actor throughout his time on Star Trek , but his chilling speech about the Borg demonstrates that the powerful Q is as menacing as he is humorous. This contrast is part of what makes Q such a legendary character in the Star Trek mythos.

4 "No feelings. No emotions. No pain. And yet you covet those qualities of humanity."

"deja q" (season 3, episode 13).

• "There are creatures in the universe who would consider you the ultimate achievement, android. No feelings. No emotions. No pain. And yet you covet those qualities of humanity. Believe me, you're missing nothing. But if it means anything to you - you're a better human than I."

While some episodes of The Next Generation examined how humans reacted to becoming part of the Q Continuum, "Deja Q" reversed the equation and showed the consequences of Q becoming human. Q struggles to adjust to his new condition, including the need for sleep.

The holodeck is a fascinating aspect of the Star Trek universe. These creations demonstrate its potential as both a technology and a narrative tool.

Q discusses his newfound humanity with Data, who longs to be more human. In the scene, Q demonstrates a touching sympathy towards the android , pointing out that Data is more human than Q can ever be. Once Q regains his powers, he uses them to make Data experience laughter for the first time, demonstrating that, for all his tricks, Q is capable of good deeds.

3 "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."

• "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."

While the second season of The Next Generation is generally regarded as one of the show's weaker years (due in part to industry strikes), it holds the distinction of introducing one of science fiction's most iconic threats : the Borg.

Picard complains that the meeting with the Borg has resulted in the deaths of several of the Enterprise 's crew. Q is unrepentant: he points out that space is a dangerous place to explore, and that Picard should expect to face significant obstacles during his voyages. However, given that the alternative is to miss out on the wonders of the cosmos, Q believes that Picard and his crew must be brave.

2 "He's the person you wanted to be. One who was less arrogant and undisciplined in his youth. One who was less like me."

"tapestry" (season 6, episode 15).

In "Tapestry", Q offers Picard a second chance at life. Rather than being stabbed as a reckless youth, Picard is given the chance to do things differently and avoid the incident. However, changing his past has far-reaching ramifications. Without a near-death experience, Picard becomes meek and never reaches the captain's chair.

Sir Patrick Stewart confirmed a long-running Star Trek: The Next Generation rumor about Gene Roddenberry's weird idea for Counselor Deanna Troi.

Q's intervention teaches Picard an important lesson: there are times when recklessness can pay off, and he must take life as it comes, rather than attempting to tidy it up. Picard may be ashamed of his past, but it is what drives him to succeed in the present.

1 "The trial never ends."

"all good things..." (season 7, episodes 25 and 26).

• "You just don't get it, do you, Jean-Luc? The trial never ends. We wanted to see if you had the ability to expand your mind and your horizons. And for one brief moment, you did."

The Next Generation comes full circle in its finale, "All Good Things...", in which Q makes the closing arguments in the trial for humanity's survival. Picard must solve a fiendishly complicated temporal puzzle to convince Q of the human race's right to exist. While he eventually succeeds, Q reminds Picard that the tests faced by the human race are bound to continue. The process of exploration is never-ending.

Star Trek: Picard would later return to this sentiment , with Q reminding Picard of his earlier words. Q's classic speech also foreshadows that, while The Next Generation was coming to an end, the so-called Golden Age of Star Trek was only just beginning.

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