Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series) Q Who (1989) User Reviews

my favorite!

[subego · 10/10 · 5 April 2009]

How I love this episode! Of all the Next Generations, this episode is still my favorite. Words cant describe the chill that went down my spine when they first encounter the Borg in the engine room. I think what I enjoy the most about it is the fact that the producers, writers and directors seemed to be working in complete harmony with regards to every faucet of the shows production. Comparatively, there is also very little background music, which to me only heightened the tensions inherent in the scenario. In an old issue of a European film magazine, they once had an issue dedicated to ST:TNG where they had a brief synopsis of every episode as well as behind the scene stories. With regards to this episode, it was said that Patrick Stewart actually grew angry with some members of the crew because they were goofing around and not taking things more seriously. He stated that it was a particularly difficult episode to do because of the themes introduced...and the fact that for the first time there was a large number of crew killed in the storyline. He thought the fact that they were encountering an enemy that had the capability to defeat them...and was actually on the verge of doing so before Q interceded...had a profound impact on how the mood of the shoot progressed.

As for myself, I enjoyed it so much because of those very reasons! In the entire history of Star Trek and through all of its incarnations, the rosy, happy or optimistic nature of the shows sometimes tended to overwhelm. This seemed to be a very realistic encounter...especially when you consider that the vast majority of the episodes or films that introduce a new species or culture invariably resolve in a very optimistic manner. Q Who simply, but effectively, went the other way and showed us a reality in which the Enterprise, and the Federation itself, was NOT up to the challenge and was very nearly doomed.

Like the episode, "Yesterday's Enterprise," all was not well in the universe and there was death without reason or purpose...as there is in real life. It was the first time that the Enterprise and crew had simply run out of options and/or hope of survival...and it was that theme that made the episode so strong.

Super-important for the series.

[planktonrules · 10/10 · 14 November 2014]

Q is a special guest in this episode and once again, Captain Picard and his crew are rather oblivious to the help that this powerful entity is trying to help them. All they see is trickery and annoyance when Q indicates he'd like to join the crew and explore the galaxy with them. I could understand their apprehension, but in this episode, Q is annoyed by their rebuff and so he decides to show them a taste of what lies ahead...a VERY good thing, actually. In this case, he introduces the ship to the Borg--a race no one in the Federation had heard of and did not anticipate. Their who 'seek out new life' motto is tried to the max, as the Borg really don't want to be friends--they just want to take the Enterprise and turn it and the crew into their slaves.

In future episodes of this and other Star Trek series, the Borg would begin an all-out war with the Federation as well as practically everyone else (including the Romulans). I loved this storyline and it gave the shows a nice overarching enemy and theme. It also provided a wonderful Star Trek movie, where Picard has his ultimate showdown with the Borg. To me, this is a highlight of the series and one where Q shows he COULD be very helpful-- but yet STILL the crew (and especially Picard) seem to despise him. As for me, I'd LOVE to have him aboard--what laughs they could have! One of the better and most important episodes.

A New "Borg"inning

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 12 August 2014]

While "Q" drives me crazy (because of his omnipotence stealing free will from the Enterprise), this episode is still quite startling. John Delancy's character shows up demanding to be made part of the crew. Picard can see nothing positive about this. He rejects the great one's offer and the next thing we know, the ship is sent 700 light years from there, into another quadrant that should not have been explored for years. Q continues to taunt the crew and Picard holds firm. It's probably that he sees the reality that if he relents, there is no purpose any more. The sad thing is that the Enterprise now meets the Borg, one of the most creative entities produced in fiction. They, of course, are a bee-like culture where there is a collective rather than individuals. They act in concert rather than alone. They are also a humorless juggernaut, beyond reason, whose sole purpose is to absorb other species and add this information to their collective. When attacked and damaged, they move quickly to repair and move on their insidious journey. Unfortunately, in the process of investigating this thing, a number of crew members are killed. Picard is largely responsible and must look inward to see if his ego was central to this loss of life. This is a pivotal episode, setting up an amazing series of encounters that will take place along the way.

New enemies arrive

[russem31 · 15 April 2006]

ST:TNG:42 - "Q Who?" (Stardate: 42761.3) - this is the 16th episode to air in the second season of The Next Generation and a pivotal episode at that. Q makes a comeback (for the first time in the second season) to take the Enterprise 7000 light years from home to get them to encounter a new enemy that was only hinted at in "The Neutral Zone" - the BORG. With this episode, The Next Generation begins to come out of the shadow of its mighty predecessor, The Original Series, because the Borg will soon become as memorable as the Klingons and Romulans. We also find out more about Guinan (played by Whoopi Goldberg) and her past - and her past includes Q meeting her 2 centuries ago! This is definitely a welcome episode that makes The Next Generation truly unique.

Oh, and lookout for a nervous ensign spilling hot chocolate onto Picard!

The universe just got a lot darker...

[Robin_clarke41 · 10/10 · 28 May 2013]

Finally the happy happy joy joy image of the universe that the show's creator envisaged is shattered and shows us the darker side of space exploration. Up until this point (near the end of season 2) we have seen Picard talking to empty plastic containers, endless boring Troi centric episodes, deadly oil slicks?, the most ridiculous shape shifter/ewok I've ever seen and multiple 'space wizards' as I like to call them.

OK so this episode does feature a 'space wizard' but he's forgiven as he is John De Lancie when in human form. What we do have in this episode are the coolest most chilling cyber zombies ever dreamt up, enter The Borg! (Have to mention Alfre Woodard's line from First Contact 'Sounds Swedish'). This episode also sees more of the enigmatic Guinan who we all know is more than she appears to be. Not only does she have chilling recollections of her own encounters of the Borg but on some level she seems to frighten even Q. Intriguing, as Data would say.

The Borg waste no time in attacking the ship and for the first time Picard and his ask first and shoot later crew are forced to deal with an enemy they cannot bargain with, reason with or think their way out of a confrontation with. They have to fight and it is a fight they cannot win. Personally I think I would have been screaming at Worf to fire every weapon I had while the Borg were dissecting the ship and killing 18 of my crew mates but that's me. Also whilst I had the Borg incapacitated I would not be sending my most valuable crew members over there but firing everything I had left and then warp nining it away from there but again that's me and Picard obviously had other ideas. Apart from a few flaws this is easily the best episode so far and renewed hope for most Trekkers that the show was improving on some of the awful Season 1 & 2 turkeys. This episode also lined the way for the best of both worlds, First Contact and some of the best Star Trek Voyager episodes made. It was the Borg that assimilated me into becoming a die hard TNG fan.

Q gives humanity a painful lesson...or is it a helpful warning?

[ThunderingTim · 10/10 · 28 February 2017]

You must forgive me for being uncharacteristically ebullient but I adore this episode. TNG was pretty light, colorful and happy, ending every episode with the usual love-in before warping away without any follow-up. The set-up may be original here and there, but the wrap- up is often easy to guess. But here, the writers take us on a completely unpredictable sleigh ride without really a happy ending.

Plot (SPOILERS)

Q offers to become part of the crew to help prepare the Enterprise (and the Federation) for what awaits them. Picard, not without reason, rejects him and Q transports them, ship and all, to an uncharted region of space. Here they are confronted by the Borg, an eerie race of cyberzombies interested only in whatever they can use to improve themselves. In a way, they are a bio-mechanical locust. Picard tries to make first contact, but the Borg aren't listening. Fleeing, the crew realize that they are hopelessly outmatched and unprepared. Picard acknowledges this and pleads for Q's help, who restores their original heading and leaves a wounded and humiliated Enterprise.

Good Stuff

I like Q but even if you hate him he is highly tolerable in this episode and there are some great Q-Guinan and Q-Picard scenes. The Borg are TNG's finest addition to the Trek galaxy. The Borg cube is equally alien and menacing inside and outside. For once the Enterprise is outgunned and takes "a bloody nose". Picard realizes that now the Borg know of the Federation's existence, they will be coming, ending the episode on a uncomfortable note.

Things I disliked

Erm......I guess you could call a cubic space ship impractical. And erm...you may question their decision to hold while the Borg ship is regenerating, as opposed to just bombarding the thing with every torpedo in your arsenal and then making a run for it. But the only real bad stuff is that we do not, in later episodes, return to some questions, such as whatever happened between Q and Guinan in the past or some emotional pay-off to the 18 dead crew-members. Or that they ruin the Borg by making them more individualistic.

Conclusion

But that is just being petty, this is a great episode and (depending on how you view Datalore) the first real TNG classic. It sets up the equally brilliant Best of Both Worlds and decent Family as well as the fine movie First Contact. Q is wonderful in this episode, as is Guinan. Some beautiful directing and a constant feeling that this is very different from what we've come to expect from TNG. 10/10 for originality and introducing the Borg and not ending on a sickly sweet note.

PS I end with this interesting notion: rather than just Q acting out or proving a good point to Picard, is it not possible that Q, who as an omniscient being will have foreseen either the Borg or Domionion (or both) attacking the Federation, may actually have intended for the Federation to stop being so optimistic and arm themselves so as not to be wiped away? Which would make his motivation at least honorable?

Strong and memorable episode

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 5 June 2021]

Q wants to be part of the Enterprise crew and attempts to force Captain Picard into admitting he is needed.

This is a memorable episode with a strong introduction to an important villain for the franchise and a number of great performances.

The plot involves Q making an appearance and using his power to prove a point to Picard. This is the best of the Q episodes so far in TNG as it isn't the standard Godlike being v Enterprise as it involves a different main antagonist.

There are memorable moments for characters like Picard, Q, Riker and Guinan who all have important contributions to the story.

The visuals are fantastic, particularly the ship designs, sets and make-up effects. I enjoyed the lighting on the space shuttle scenes and during other interior locations. Also the scene where Guinan notices something isn't quite right is done well.

All performances are strong but for me Patrick Stewart is excellent as ever. John de Lancie as Q and Caryn Johnson as Guinan give the next best performances with charisma levels almost on par with Stewart.

Star Trek The Next Generation--Q Who?

[Scarecrow-88 · 9/10 · 7 May 2013]

What I think Q Who does exceptionally well is utilize the Q character to not only establish one of the Federation's (and Picard's & Enterprise's) most fearsome threats in the Borg but further establish how this obnoxious, annoying, obtrusive entity can often provoke the Enterprise crew (and, in particular, Picard) to address their weaknesses and human/humanoid frailties, and how not every situation can perhaps be intellectually/philosophically/cleverly handled (including the use of dialogue to thwart death and destruction by "talking it out"). Q wants to join the Enterprise crew as an officer, even telling Picard he would give up his powers and become mortal. Picard doesn't trust him and says he doesn't want Q's help in regards to what lies ahead in the far reaches of space. Q wants to teach Picard and his crew a lesson in humility regarding how prepared they are against unknown lifeforms who could pose a serious danger to them if unready. Q is right in that Picard and the Enterprise are not ready for the Borg. Q Who introduces the Borg as a force to be reckoned with as they have better technology and their function as a collective affords them to work as a singular unit of humanoids with artificial intelligence that operates only to take what is of interest to them to continually build their power and strength. Q just waves a hand and sends the Enterprise forwarding away of their current position and right into the trajectory of the Borg Cube's tractor beam. Dissecting a piece of the Enterprise saucer section hull, damaging their shields, and even boarding the ship, studying defense capabilities in the Engineering section, the Borg are not only intimidating in appearance but have the advantage in advanced technology and are only concerned with what they can take and use. This was an early precursor to what lies ahead: The Best of Both Worlds Part 1 & 2, considered by Trek faithful to be the greatest double-header of Star Trek period (not just Next Gen). I think it is fascinating how it is often forgotten that Q was responsible for introducing Picard and the Enterprise to the Borg. Q was just miffed that Picard didn't want him and his powers, hurling them into a section of space they had not ventured. Another intriguing development is that Guinan and Q know each other and are definite enemies. Guinan's race was nearly wiped out by the Borg and the part of space the Enterprise finds itself she warns they must escape or else. Q refers to Guinan as a creature that isn't as she appears and only bad things follow her. She never is what Q insists and often is a voice of reason and comfort, of wisdom and insight, to the Enterprise crew. Q does seem admirable of Picard when the Captain pleads for him to help them; it shows that Picard isn't above putting aside his pride and recognizing the greater welfare of his ship and officers (and their families). In hindsight, Picard does tell Guinan that Q, even if for the wrong reasons, may have benefited the Enterprise in their first meeting with the Borg; foreshadowing the inevitable, The Enterprise now know that the Borg is coming and preparing for them should be a major priority. Seeing the Enterprise crew assured and convinced they could face whatever beings they encountered on their own, with Q actually proving them wrong (Q had been the one set straight prior to this episode), is quite interesting. Sometimes Picard and company are wrong; while Q aggravates and antagonizes, he was in the right in this situation. His help was needed and Picard's life would be changed forever by meeting the Borg.

The appetizer.

[thevacinstaller · 9/10 · 10 March 2021]

After watching the episode, I found it interesting that Q did not demand becoming a member of the enterprise crew. Could this happen to be one of those Q moments where he is actually looking out for humanity in his own twisted manner? They say God works in mysterious ways.

This is clearly a masterfully done reveal of a galactic threat and it also marks an evolution of TNG from playfully exploring the galaxy to a more nuanced and serious exploration of space (inner and outer) while still maintaining the core essence of trek.

Assorted thoughts:

• The prop/special effects department did a great job with the design of the borg and the internal/external design of the ship.
• This is the 1st excellent Q episode. This is the episode where you could ponder the true motivations of Q in regards to humanity.
• I really liked the Gomez scenes and Gordi is such a good guy! He definitely deserves a novelty cup or t-shirt for best boss. There's also a sneaky little tie-in with Gomez ordering her hot chocolate thanking the computer AI and the arrival of a menacing technologically based race.
• I found it interesting that starfleet was a hair breadth away from forcibly dismantling data and later in the season they encounter the Borg who forcibly assimilate organics for their purposes.
• The mystery of the borg makes them great. Are they a technological experiment gone wrong? Are they a galactic janitor created by some God like race? I don't know and I don't know if I ever want to find out. There's something to be said for using your own imagination to fill in the blanks.

Q was right.

[lisawea · 8/10 · 6 January 2008]

he may have been cocky, sarcastic, amusing etc. but he was right:they were not ready. But he also did us a hidden favor.The Borg were apparently coming anyway and now we know what we'd be up against, or at least know that they are out there. in my opinion it was more than a "kick in our complacency". this episode had at least one other interesting feature.

I found myself disagreeing with the protagonists. Picard said it was "not smugness not arrogance!", but that's what it seemed like to me. OK I'd seen the other Borg episodes before this one so I KNEW they weren't ready. I realize that I am giving a lower rating than my comment might indicate but there is some really dull and ultimately pointless stuff in the episode before Q shows up. it is unfortunate that the "dealings" were never explained. The ending is great! 3 of 5 stars. And what happened to the Borg not having a single leader.

9 because they didn't off Ensign Gomez

[cjlouis1029 · 9/10 · 26 February 2022]

This episode would be a solid 10 if it wasn't for the waste of introducing Ensign Sonya Gomez. It would've came together so well if they had her perish in their encounter with the Borg amidst one of the attacks and having this affect Geordi profoundly.

We Are The Borg

[anarchistica · 9/10 · 26 March 2020]

The episode starts with a nice misdirect in the form of Ensign Gomez, a clumsy proto-Barclay who is new to the ship. You expect the episode to be about someone integrating into the crew, but instead Q shows up.

While we never really got to know who or what Guinan was, her interactions with Q are always fun and she was interesting and 'powerful' in a different way. Here she is used mostly to deliver exposé, which works really well. Whoopi might be a terrible person but she did a fine job here.

The Borg themselves are fantastic. Sure, they are somewhat derivative of the Daleks and Cybermen from Doctor Who, but they transcend both. Some people think they represent the threat of Communism, with their lack of individuality. In the episode itself they are ironically called the ultimate consumers, who absorb who and what they want.

Their design is fantastic, with their weird ship and their odd implants. Having seen Voyager it is easy to forget how menacing they originally were, especially because they methodically study the Enterprise and practically ignore the crew - even when they're boarded! Now humans have become the new life that is sought out.

Meet the Borg

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 4 May 2018]

Two recurrent entities share this particular Star Trek TNG episode. John DeLancie the scamp of the Universe known as Q whisks Patrick Stewart away from the Enterprise for a bit of heart to heart. He warns them of unknown and unimaginable dangers and when Captain Picard is back on the Enterprise, DeLancie hurls the Enterprise 7000 light years away where they encounter the relentless and monolithic Borg for the first time.

It's quite an encounter with this square shaped space ship handled by a crew of half carbon based humanoids and half robotic all part of the same mind and obeying one will. All the Borg want is technology. To try it, absorb it and absorb those who have it in their singular collective.

This was the first of many encounters with the Borg in this and subsequent Star Trek franchise series. Memorable it is.

A Senior Trekker writes..................

[celineduchain · 5/10 · 3 January 2022]

The Second Season of Star Trek the Next Generation has often been downplayed due to multiple production and writing staff problems, and several major cast changes. Although of mixed quality, it does contain some outstanding and brilliant episodes. Senior Trekker is extremely grateful to all those people who worked so hard under difficult circumstances to keep it on our screens.

This episode introduces the BORG by means of an appearance by Q, who catapults the Enterprise to the other side of the Galaxy so the crew can get a little "bloody nose" at the hands of this hitherto unknown enemy.

The Borg later became one of the most terrifying adversaries in the whole Sci Fi cannon. Their coldness and sheer ruthless, unstoppablility became the stuff of nightmares, possibly because they were originally conceived as an insect-like race. There is no mention of "assimilation" here and, looking back at this first episode, it is really surprising to see how much their costumes look like bits of rubber tubing stuck onto lurex leotards and how like a row of shop mannequins they look when lined up in their alcoves.

The designers may have raided a hardware store and a few dress shops to bring us these frightening new villains but that says more about the limitations of a television budget than any deficiency in their creativity. The Borg went on to appear in many episodes of Star Trek over the coming generations and, while we may have had to learn to understand the Klingons, the Romulans and the Cardassians, this hive-race remains equally alien and menacing to this day.

As always, John de Lancie is impeccable as the all-powerful being, Q.

(Senior Trekker scores every episode with a 5)

Not as good as people say

[rcyoung-02426 · 8/10 · 23 March 2023]

A lot of people claim this is peak Trek. However I disagree. It's certainly a fun episode though. I really enjoyed Q and his interactions with Picard and Guinan especially. Also, his motivations foreshadow the terror that will be wrought by the Borg in the future.

However, the ending is really bad. The fact that Q puts the Enterprise in a position of danger that ends in the deaths of 18 of its crew is terrifying. However, the way Picard reacts to those 18 deaths, is borderline sociopathic. He calmly forgives Q, and says that perhaps, he meant well. No matter the fact that he just basically put the enterprise in danger that led to many bad decisions, which resulted in those 18 deaths.

"Oh no, this is as real as your so-called life gets!"

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 10 November 2023]

I get a kick out of the way the writers for the various Star Trek series throw around incredible distances like they did in this episode. When Q (John de Lancie) returns Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the hijacked shuttlecraft back to the Enterprise, he then hurls the ship seven thousand light years away to Sector J-25. Now think about that. A single light year is the distance that light travels in a single year, not quite six trillion miles! So, seven thousand times six trillion!!?? How many zeros would that take? Wouldn't the very next, nearby galaxy be far enough? I just think it's kind of silly, but what the heck. The story was pretty good otherwise.

This was Star Trek's first look at The Borg, an alien race made up of organic and artificial life with a collective consciousness whose mission seemed to be to absorb all the knowledge it could from whatever race or civilization it came in contact with. When the Borg's boxy looking spaceship encountered the Enterprise, it caught the vessel in a tractor beam and started cutting into the ship's hull, causing Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) to remark - "They're carving us up like a roast"! This all courtesy of the rascally villain Q, rejected by Picard when Q requested an assignment on the Enterprise, since he was kicked out of the Q Continuum!! So now, Q thought he would give Picard a taste of what danger was really out there with a foe that could squash the Enterprise like a bug if they really wanted to. Which once established, almost made it a moot point that the Enterprise could inflict even twenty percent worth of damage to the Borg vessel. It took Captain Picard to virtually beg Q to get them out of the mess, a crisis of confidence not lost on Picard himself as Q whisked them all away to safety.

Even though the danger presented to the Enterprise was out of Picard and the crews' hands, it was still a fairly effective story. I noticed how Commander Data responded to all the chaos confronting the vessel during the Borg encounter. Echoing my favorite Star Trek character from the original series, all he could come up with was "Fascinating"!

Why not dismantle Starfleet ?

[makiefer-87128 · 8/10 · 25 December 2023]

Omnipotent being Q does Starfleet a favour by warning them of their new arch enemy - the hive-minded robotic Borg. Q catapults the Enterprise towards a giant cube-shaped Borg vessel. Here, the Enterprise can investigate the hibernating Borg before their ultimate invasion into Federation space two seasons later. Recall: At the beginning of the entire Next Generation show, we are shown that Klingons stop being the Federation's (Starfleet's) mortal foe. A Klingon even serves aboard Starfleet's flagship, the Enterprise. As a result, there seems to be no more reason for Starfleet to be organised as a military hierarchy. Vessels could explore space independently from now on. Klingons pose no more threat to unaffiliated travellers. As a result, it remains unanswered as to why Starfleet does not disband into independent starships. We are told in the later Star Trek show 'Voyager' that the Borg are e.g. Not interested in attacking weak species, such as the many Kazon sects. Therefore dissolving would have been a (another) solution to surviving the Borg. Admirals go home. Really, it's you admirals the Borg seem to want.

A Senior Nerd writes......... Borg babies have little implants!

[Sean_Biggins · 8/10 · 5 December 2023]

Despite the illogical Borg costumes and having to tolerate Whoopee Goldberg, I like this one. I've always like the episodes that feature John de Lancie as the 'Q' character. I found it very humorous when Riker opened a drawer and found a baby Borg, complete with tiny skull cap and implants on the Borg ship !

The rest is just filler -- I'm done.

A wonderful series This is an interesting, thought provoking, and most of all entertaining series. Gene Roddenberry not only gave us a "Wagon Train to the Stars," but he gave us interesting stories reflecting the great values our society holds as truths. I know that "some" episodes were not that good, but that can be said of any series that has a long history. For the most part this program exceeds the mark of excellence in writing and entertainment. The delivery of the writing by Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner et. Al. Truly brought the Star Trek future to life. The casting of this program is wonderful!

Because 'join our collective' doorknocking doesn't work.

[amusinghandle · 8/10 · 15 January 2024]

What has become of ensign Gomez? Has she been moved to the night shift --- never to appear with our ensemble cast members again? I like having a bit character with some personality and not just a random extra walking around but I guess you actually have to pay them money if they have a speaking role.

I am not usually a gigantic dork but I was listening to a man child star trek podcast and it was mentioned that the Borg would have assimilated Earth without Q's intervention. Man, that Q --- what a hoot, right? He goes through this whole 'I want to join you' story just to give starfleet some advance notice about the borg.

This is a great episode ---- it establishes the Borg as a menacing force of nature that is not concerned with diplomacy and it just wants to capture your essence to add to it's collective. We have plenty of historical moments of people attempting to create or add to collectives on earth but this is taken to the extreme.

Great pacing and storytelling in this one. The mood is chilling (or as chilling as 1980's TNG gets) and firmly establishes that the enterprise is completely screwed without the help of Q.

The First Time the Borg is I.D.'d

[Samuel-Shovel · 7/10 · 13 August 2019]

In "Q Who", after Picard has a conversation with Q in which he asserts they don't need an all-powerful being aboard the ship and are prepared for anything, Q flings the Enterprise light-years away into uncharted territory where they are introduced to the Borg, a hive-mind ship hell-bent on assimilation of other entities.

This is absolutely an important episode that any Trek fan needs to definitely watch. While I value its importance to the series, I don't think it's a fantastic episode. All the stuff with Geordi and the new ensign you can immediately throw out. Their scenes together are quite annoying. I also feel that they write Picard to be a bit too hubristic, more so than his actual character is. I think Q was right in showing them the dangers of the universe but Captain Picard makes a few head-scratching decisions. Beaming aboard their vessel when they had time to flee was an absolutely insane decision. Even with Guinan giving them the low down, they ignore the most knowledgeable person aboard and go on ahead like their invincible. It bugged me a bit.

Still this episode introduces the Borg and does a good job of showing off their capabilities. This won't be the last we heard from these folks.

Memorable But Flawed Episode

[Eradan · 7/10 · 7 July 2021]

As all Trek fans know, "Q Who" is the episode that introduced the Borg, arguably the greatest antagonist the Federation ever faced. Besides it's significance in the development of the Trek franchise, the ep boasts some pretty memorable lines, mostly delivered by Q (played by John de Lancie).

Unfortunately the episode is also flawed by several scenes (totaling about five minutes) devoted to introducing Ensign Sonya Gomez, a meaningless throwaway character. Perhaps the producers were auditioning the character for a larger role but if so nothing ever came of it.

The episode is also flawed by the showrunner's bizarre decision to have Picard stop in the middle of the battle with the Borg to leave the bridge and have a conference. The whole thing comes off as a joke on corporate culture in the Eighties.

Interestingly, "Q Who" was first shown on May 6, 1989 which is about six weeks after the beginning of the long-running Dilbert cartoon series. Ridiculing Eighties corporate culture was the original driving force of the Dilbert series. Given that Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert is a science fiction fan, it is highly likely he saw this ep and found it as ridiculous as many other Trek fans did.

"Q Who" is one of the ten most important episodes in the "Next Generations" series, and one of the top twenty in the development of the franchise, but for itself, as a dramatic production, I cannot rate this ep any higher than '7' on the IMDb scale.

Overrated Contribed Episode (spoilers)

[firefalcoln-927-427092 · 6/10 · 17 February 2014]

I like the Borg as much as anyone else. But the characters in this episode make decisions that don't make sense, which is bad writing. Picard asks Guinnea for advice and then ignores her when she tells him not to enter the ship. The ship barely survives an assault, and then instead of leaving, They decide to have a conference while parked right by the dangerous ship, and then board the ship. This was made so just to see the inside of the ship, which was cool, but writing needs to make sense for me to rate something very high. They episode is nonetheless suspenseful and intriguing because the Borg are awesome, but this is by no means a great Borg episode if you care about story logic.