Who else liked this character in Star Trek? For me his mind-blowing abilities, mystical background and independence made him quite irresistible. John de Lancie played him so well too. And one other thing, we probably all have some strong desires towards space. Some may see it all as a living thing even. Wouldn’t it be better to be somehow in direct contact with it, without any technology? The difference is like taking a boat trip vs. swimming inside the water, feeling it with every cell of your skin. Q had all that and more.
What about Q?
- Thread starter Fred8
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I think John de Lancie is great, but I'm not a huge fan of Q. He played the part well, but I sometimes got tired of Q showing up to stir up trouble and act arrogantly. Some of his episodes are pretty good, while others just bother me. So I guess it was a bit hit and miss for me.
I can see where you're coming from. Every season had to have a Q episode which seemed a little forced. I think the concept behind Q is genius though. As an atheist, it makes me believe that if there was an omnipotent being somewhere in the universe, it would probably be the product of millions of years of evolution. And everyone can appreciate a lovable asshole like Q.
Q was an awesome and entertaining character. I loved the way he played off of Picard. Would have liked to see him get a chance to go up against Kirk.
The only two Q episodes I think fell short in TNG were EAF, but of course that was a series premiere, and "Qpid."
It wasn't that the character was such an original idea,(he's basically Mxyzptlk with a different name) but it was pulled off so well by De Lancie.
The only two Q episodes I think fell short in TNG were EAF, but of course that was a series premiere, and "Qpid."
It wasn't that the character was such an original idea,(he's basically Mxyzptlk with a different name) but it was pulled off so well by De Lancie.
Loved Q in TNG. He worked brilliantly both as just a mischief maker (QPid) and with a dark side (Q Who). He's much more three-dimensional than is sometimes said, a properly rounded character who developed over the course of his appearances. And it was always fun to hear his latest insults to the sometimes too-po-faced TNG crew. His relationship with Picard is perhaps one of the strongest the Captain always had, and Stewart and de Lancie were great together. Even his little frisson with Guinan worked for me. For me the biggest missed opportunity of the NG films was that Q wasn't the star in one of them.
Also didn't think he worked badly in DS9, but am quite glad he was only in one episode.
On the other hand... don't think he worked well at all in VOY after Death Wish. I didn't buy for one second his relationship with Janeway, there's zero chemistry between them, and unlike with Stewart I don't think de Lancie and Mulgrew had any kind of rapport at all. I also don't like the direction the Continuum was taken in the VOY eps. Again, I wish he'd only appeared once in Death Wish, which alone stands up to his TNG shows.
Also didn't think he worked badly in DS9, but am quite glad he was only in one episode.
On the other hand... don't think he worked well at all in VOY after Death Wish. I didn't buy for one second his relationship with Janeway, there's zero chemistry between them, and unlike with Stewart I don't think de Lancie and Mulgrew had any kind of rapport at all. I also don't like the direction the Continuum was taken in the VOY eps. Again, I wish he'd only appeared once in Death Wish, which alone stands up to his TNG shows.
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Q is one of my favorite TNG characters, and I agree with the poster who suggested that Q would've worked well in one of the TNG movies.
I love the concept of Q, and I love the way he was played, it was just how he was used that fell short for me. I like asshole characters. They're often my favourites. But considering he was omnipotent, I think they could have done a lot more with him. The possibilities would have been literally endless.
I dearly wished that Q was in one of the TNG movies; that would have been fun.
I believe that Mulgrew claimed they were good friends even before De Lancie came to the show.
I believe that Mulgrew claimed they were good friends even before De Lancie came to the show.
I loved the idea that humanity had a guy (Picard) who was smart enough, evolved enough, to go toe to toe with an omnipotent being. Despite the insults, you could tell that Q had a grudging respect for Picard and their sparring demonstrated that hope that humanity would someday become something better. Q was a pretty important character for TNG as humanity's benchmark.
^ Not just through "Tapestry." I think he clearly showed it in "All Good Things..." to. Heck, he even says that Picard is the "closest thing" he has to a friend in one episode.
And regarding DS9, I'm glad that given the direction that show took, it didn't make regular visits by Q the norm, but I did enjoy seeing him interact with Sisko and perhaps one or two more episodes with him could have been fun.
And regarding DS9, I'm glad that given the direction that show took, it didn't make regular visits by Q the norm, but I did enjoy seeing him interact with Sisko and perhaps one or two more episodes with him could have been fun.
I've never been able to understand why they didn't do a movie with Q. The producers of the TNG movies were constantly trying to come up with their own version of Khan to pit against Picard, and Q was ready-made for such a conflict. And the larger budget afforded by a motion picture could have meant more elaborate demonstrations of Q's powers, and it could have meant seeing a Q Continuum that did not look like a Civil War reenactment.
As to DS9, I like the notion (offered up, I think, in one of the books) that Q hightailed it out of there and never looked back after Sisko decked him.
As to DS9, I like the notion (offered up, I think, in one of the books) that Q hightailed it out of there and never looked back after Sisko decked him.
Though I liked Death Wish, I thought the character had ran his course by Deja, Q.
Probably the best Q story is The Gift in DC Comics Annual #1.
http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation_Annual_Vol_2_1
Probably the best Q story is The Gift in DC Comics Annual #1.
http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation_Annual_Vol_2_1
Chick_McGeester
Lieutenant
I was just thinking about how Q would have made a great antagonist for a movie. Not a villian but someone to stir up a shitload of trouble for the crew...
Too bad...
Too bad...
Most probably disagree, but I've always thought that Q would have been best left as a one- or two-episode character. I thought his appearances got more and more convoluted over time, and he became a crutch for the writers ("No ideas? Hey, let's do a Q episode! Fans love that!")
Same deal with the holodeck. IMO there was one good holodeck episode (Elementary, My Dear Data) and then countless others that followed became the "obligatory semi-annual holodeck-gone-wrong episode."
Same deal with the holodeck. IMO there was one good holodeck episode (Elementary, My Dear Data) and then countless others that followed became the "obligatory semi-annual holodeck-gone-wrong episode."
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