Deja Q

It's yet another outstanding performance by de Lancie as Q. I know that he is a successful actor now, but given his consistent greatness on this show and his outstanding performances in "Breaking Bad" I'm surprised that he isn't a superstar and I'm not seeing him in every other big budget movie that I watch. It's also a testament to Gene Roddenberry's genius that he recognized his immense talent and cast him in the first couple of episodes as the iconic Q entity.

Data's simpatico interactions with Q and his guidance through the mores of humanity make for some of the best dialogue on the show. It's great subtle and witty humor. I really love this episode.

This is one of my favourite episodes. Q is my favourite character in all of Star Trek, he is consistently entertaining. Q and Picard have great chemistry as usual, but I also really enjoyed the scenes between Q and Data. The ending of this episode is one of the funniest and heartwarming endings ever.

This is what Roddenberry allegedly told De Lancie after his Q audition, and I totally concur. It is a good summary of De Lancie's amazing performance as Q.

The episode itself has a few good storylines: Q's fall from grace, Data's "humanness", and how people can learn and develop. It's a good sci-fi/philosophical funny episode. However, as a stand-alone episode to someone who is not familiar with the Star Trek characters it might appear a bit plain.

Q is ejected from the continuum and transformed into a human.

This is a solid episode with a fairly interesting story, great visuals and an entertaining performance from John de Lancie.

It is a humorously intended character transformation story with Q learning about humanity to make him a better omnipotent being.

How much you enjoy the Deja Q depends on how interesting you find the concept and whether the comedy works for you. For me it is refreshing to see him on the receiving end of the torment, but the jokes, albeit hilarious in very short doses, are (for my own sense of humour) not hugely consistent. Q has a brief exchange with Worf that is particularly memorable.

There is a decent sci-fi element to the episode with the sub-plot regarding the decaying orbit of a moon being an interesting idea and the detail that goes with it feels plausible.

I like the notion of Q as an observer and frequent judge of humanity, but this is the point where the character lost a lot of mystique for me in the grand scheme of the show. I think it stems from the number of scenes we see where the character whines about his predicament. As a stand-alone story it does work very well though I have to admit.

I do not wish to take anything away from John de Lancie's performance which is as excellent and charismatic as ever. His banter with Enterprise characters is always engaging and great for generating humour, but with it comes a loss of awe around such a powerful character. Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn and Patrick Stewart play off him particularly well.

Visually this is an impressive episode with some superb effects, editing and strong cinematography.

For me it's a 7.5/10 but I round upwards.

Oh sure: there are plenty of good bits before this, and a few decent episodes -- but none of them put together so successfully as this. So many memorable moments: LeVar Burton as Geordi in charge of Engineering, Gates McFadden's Crusher administering her bedside manner to Q, Whoopi Goldberg administering her own scientific test to him, Spiner's multiple moments, the uncredited guest actor Corbin Bernsen as the other Q ... and of course, the charismatic John de Lancie himself, simultaneously winning our sympathy and disdain. All building up to a marvelously effective ending, despite being as much deus ex machina as climax. Miracle of miracles: TNG finally figured out how to deliver good drama with warm comedy on par with its forebear. It's Star Trek of the best kind, and you'll never find a better use for a mariachi band.