Deja Q

[TrekToday]

Plot Summary: The Enterprise is called to Bre'el IV, where a small moon is descending upon the planet, causing massive earthquakes and tidal waves as its orbit shrinks. While Picard's crew considers how to help, Q appears naked on the bridge and announces that he has been stripped of his powers. Dubious, Picard suspects the moon's deteriorating orbit to be Q's doing and first has Q thrown in the brig, then has Data keep an eye on the formerly omnipotent being while Q tries to adjust to the horrors of being human like sweating and hunger. Soon the Calamarain, a gaseous lifeform that Q once tortured, show up to attack Q. Picard cannot block the Calamarain and assist the Bre'el at the same time. Data puts his own life at risk when he attempts to protect Q. Touched by Data's willingness to sacrifice himself, Q takes a shuttlecraft to draw the Calamarain away from the Enterprise and Bre'el IV. But before the Calamarain can attack again - and before Picard can risk the ship or the planet with a rescue attempt - a second Q appears inside the shuttle, telling Q that because of this selfless act, Q's powers will be restored. Q thanks Picard and Riker with unwelcome cigars and pretty women, but he gives Data the opportunity to experience human laughter, something Data had told Q was one reason he wished to be human. The Bre'el hail the ship to thank Picard for restoring their moon's orbit, making Picard realize that Q has saved the planet as well.

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To read the full reviews, please click here.

[Smiley]

This must be a red-letter day. I agree with Michelle about something: the best disc of TNG, in this case. "Deja Q" is one of the 10 best episodes of TNG, hands down. It's got a great message, but the sheer entertainment value keeps it from being preachy or overbearing. It gets the characters right, and it has some of the best dialogue of the whole series.

[Kail]

One of my favorites.

[Jack Bauer]

Very good episode.

[DorkBoy [TM]]

Agreed about that DVD. I love it too. Totally amazing run of episodes. A Matter of Perspective was interesting but one of the weaker Season 3 eps. But the other 3 are easily in my top 10. Yesterday's Enterprise is pretty much my favorite hour of television ever.

Deja Q is probably the best comedy Trek ever did. I've almost ruined it for myself now just from watching it so many times. Its hard to remember how utterly hilarious it was the first 20 or so times I watched it.

I still remember how it felt watching these for the first time. I just couldn't believe how good it was, every single week that year.

[BoyNamedSue]

But would it really matter whether you took that DVD to a desert island or not?

I don't think desert islands have electrical outlets for your DVD player, LOL!

[Cmndr J Crichton]

The best part was Q's gift to Data in the finale of the episode. And Q celebrating with a mexican band.

[Pioneer]

Great, funny episode. Good review.

[DorkBoy [TM]]

BoyNamedSue wrote:

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But would it really matter whether you took that DVD to a desert island or not?

I don't think desert islands have electrical outlets for your DVD player, LOL!

If I had to pick just one DVD to load onto my iPhone before being stranded on a desert island, it'd definitely be this one.

[Tcrubuyuuie]

Just a bunch of spam here. Nothing to see.

[AntonyF]

I loved the humour in this one, and some of the dialog.

"Crusher gets more shrill with each passing year".

"What must I do to convince you people?"
"Die."
"Oh very good Worf, eat any good books lately?

[DarkHelmet]

This really was a good episode. Haven't seen it in a few years, though.

[Unicron]

DorkBoy [TM] wrote:

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Deja Q is probably the best comedy Trek ever did. I've almost ruined it for myself now just from watching it so many times. Its hard to remember how utterly hilarious it was the first 20 or so times I watched it.

I agree. This sort of story is one of the strengths of Q's character on TNG. He could be ominous and threatening, but humorously annoying in other instances. The writers were able to show both sides of the coin in different eps.

[Aragorn]

Who knew that Arnie Becker would grow up to be a Q?

[Dream]

Unicron wrote:

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I agree. This sort of story is one of the strengths of Q's character on TNG. He could be ominous and threatening, but humorously annoying in other instances. The writers were able to show both sides of the coin in different eps.

Disagree about the last part of your statement. The writers certainly wrote several good stories with him but they had some crappy ones too like "Qpid" and "True Q". Q worked so well because of John de Lancie's acting. With a lesser actor in the role the character would have been much less interesting.