Q: "What must I do to convince you people (that Q is human)?" Worf: Die! Q: "Oh, very clever, Worf! Eat any good books lately?"

One of my favorite Q moments was when he lost his powers and Guinan stabbed him with a fork.

Best lines in a Q episode: Cpt Picard: He wants to do something nice for me. Riker: (Solemnly) I'll inform the crew.

I love all Q episodes. 'Picard never hit me!', 'I'm not Picard'. I've been binging on TNG, Voyager and DS9 during lock down. So good.

John DeLancy always treats his fans with the utmost respect. A great, funny man. He was always at the top of the list of fan favorites at conventions.

“Is there a Gene Luck- Pickard ?” Love that delivery from Q in Tapestry

Also one of my favorite things about Q: he was the inspiration for the character of Discord in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic., and also De Lancie is the voice actor for him. The character is a perfect kids show version of Q, as well as a fun character on his own.

That tapestry quote from Picard about unraveling his life by removing the "untidy" bits is one of TNG's more genuinely profound moments. As the video says, Q actually teaches Picard a lesson for once. In many ways we're lucky they stayed the course after the relatively clunky first appearance of Q, with his throne on a forklift and all.

From All Good Things: Q: 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. PICARD: When I realized the paradox. Q: Exactly. For that one fraction of a second, you were open to options you had never considered. That is the exploration that awaits you. Not mapping stars and studying nebulae, but charting the unknowable possibilities of existence. PICARD: Q, what is it that you're trying to tell me? (Q nearly whispers in Picard's ear) Q: You'll find out. In any case, I'll be watching.

Q: Welcome to the afterlife, Jean-Luc! You're dead ... and I'm God. Picard: I refuse to believe the afterlife is run by you! The universe is not so badly designed! Oh, you know it is too, Jean-Luc!

I'm still demanding to know what was the connection between Q and Guinan, and why he was genuinely afraid of her. This has never been explained.

“Captain I must protest, I am not a merry man” is my actual favourite line in Star Trek ever. Q has a great arc across all three shows. TNG made us feel fall in love with Q. Voy fleshed out the continuum through Qs perception. And DS9 did what the other two couldn’t, punched him 🤣

I like how in Tapestry, at the end with Picard coming back to life, chuckling as his crewmen struggled to save him, Worf stared at him wide-eyed, for Picard was laughing at death.

My personal favorite has to be the introduction of the Borg. That 1 episode changed Star Trek forever and gave us best villain in Trek

My favorite Q moment is when he becomes human and becomes hungry, then he says "I have this odd feeling in my stomach" then he looks at what Troi is eating and says "I'll have twelve sundaes"

"Welcome to the afterlife, Jean-Luc. You're dead." Tapestry is the greatest Q episode, and really the best of TNG.

I would have loved something like a post-credits scene in Tapestry where Picard calls on Q and asks whether any of what he experienced actually happened, or whether it was all in his mind, and Q just smiled.

Top Jeffrey Coombs episodes. DO IT!

Honestly Q who was an episode where Q gave Picard a warning. Yes he let those people die but I think Q did so to remind Picard how serious the threat is and that the borg are coming and this was his way of alerting Picard of the invasion and that Picards arrogance and wilingness to sometimes be soft would not work against the borg who will exploit any weakness with no mercy. "If you cant take a bloody nose perhaps you should go home and crawl under your bed, its not safe out here its wonderous with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But its not for the timid"

I love Q!! I think that he's one of the most underrated characters in all of Star Trek 🖖

There were no bad Q episodes. The Q would make an amazing movie. Bring back Delancie!!!

Here for the “yeahs and yeahs and yeahs and yeahs”. Tapestry was an absolute work of art

Honourable mention: "Squire of Gothos" from ToS with a proto-Q.

the mariachi band always amuses me.

Best line in the best Q moment. "Morning darling" and the look on Patrick Stewarts face

Deja Q is the funniest episode of TNG. Q trying to explain he doesn’t have omnipotent powers is great. Also when Q explains the sensation of falling asleep is hilarious. Ohhh and Guinan stabbing him with a fork...

I absolutely love Q!!! He and Picards back and forth was always entertaining but I really loved the episodes that taught a lesson. Top tier! 👌

Did you know that Kate Mulgrew and John D’Lancie were close friends? I still remember reading a TV Guide interview when Voyager was a new show. Mulgrew said she came to know about Star Trek because John would have watch parties whenever he did a Q episode to which she was often invited. I remember another interview with both of them where they admitted that they had to one of their big scenes multiple times because they both kept cracking each other up.

Patrick Stewart's real life son played his son on the Inner Light episode of TNG.

"Captain, I must protest. I am not a merry man!" is my all-time favorite line of Star Trek dialogue. Q also delivered one of the lines that I have always found to be inspirational. Whenever I find myself nervous about doing something or trying something new or just generally being afraid to fail at something, I think of the line Q delivers to Picard in Q Who: "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."

Q literally starts and ends Star Trek: The Next Generation. He bookends the entire series, in my view making it his story. He may not be omnipresent, but our seven year voyage would not have been the same in his absence.

Honorable mention to two novels - Q-Squared and Q in-law - both by Peter David.

Q was actually an afterthought and was supposed to be a "one shot deal" he was added to the pilot because they thought it was dull and needed padding out.

We’re doing favorite lines? In “Q Who,” Riker calls Q out for letting those 18 people die. (Or maybe get assimilated.) The script has Q threaten him, “Stop-or you will surely die.” John DeLancie ad libbed, “Oh, please.”

Picard needs to end with Q coming for him and helping him to finally crossover. Or maybe to join the Q.

Love Q. Loved him in My Little Pony almost as much when I watched it with my kids.

I feel the need to share a bit of my own head canon here, in that I believe that much of what we think we know about Q/The Q is based on a misinterpretation of something said in 'Encounter at Farpoint'. When Q says humanity has gone 'too far', and they should 'turn back', I believe he was speaking, not literally, but to the development of humanity as a whole, in that humanity was/is not prepared for the next stage of evolution. Consider this: At the beginning of ST:TNG, we are introduced to Data, the first constructed being who has surpassed artificial intelligence, and instead possesses what can only be described as artificial sentience. THIS is what caught the attention of The Q, and Q was sent to investigate. Humanity is on the verge of becoming (for all intents and purposes) God, as the creators of a new sentient species, be it via androids with self-awareness, or holograms either left active too long, or via a misspoken command, or now, with the ability to transfer human consciousness to an artificial body. How does humanity react to to this new (half)step in its evolution? Are we ready to be next door neighbors to The Q? Do we even belong in the same neighborhood? Kirk once said"Our weapons grew faster than our wisdom, and we almost destroyed ourselves." Could we be heading in that direction again?

You missed Kirk- when he showed up to punish his son who was just playing with his toy humans.

How to make Star Trek: The Lower Decks actually make sense..... Make it with 'Q' breaking the fourth wall, and from his perspective watching the goings on of the NCC Cerritos.

I'm with you, the older I get, the more I appreciate tapestry. I think it resonates the most for me. It's my favourite too..

Q's back and forth banter with Janeway is always 👌 💯

In Qpid I think they were mostly trying to be true to the Robin Hood movies of the '30s and '40s, because that's what most people of the time had grown up with (or seen in re-runs). My personal favourites were the Errol Flynn movies that often got replayed on Sunday afternoons at lunchtime. 😀

Q is a sign of fun times to come whenever he shows up anywhere.

"Tapestry" has been my favorite TNG episode since it aired on Feb 15, 1993. Glad you put it as #1 on your list of best Q episodes. The lesson of Tapestry is one i keep in mind when things aren't going so well or when i talk with people about their lives. Risk taking is what makes life worth while. Without it, we have nothing, achieve nothing and amount to nothing. Q's speech to Picard at the end is brilliant. Who knew Q had so much wisdom for the great Picard.

Q and the Grey was actually my favourite, the VOY crew trying to interpret the insanity of Mrs Q was gold

Dude, the episode where they are playing Robin Hood it's actually pretty critical of how women are put into a secondary role. Vash is totally not having it and uses the tools at her disposal at the time to get ahead. She actually doesn't want to be rescue and doesn't even need it. Really doesn't. But the Cap wants to rescue her because he is in love. This is a great feminist episode. And I say this as a guy. I know. I like it because I am not going to believe that Vash is going to fight her way out of that situation. She is not that character. Now, just for argument's sake, put Mayor Kira in this same exact situation and I would have hated it because that is not the woman Kira is. They are both strong women who would go about their problems in different ways. Love that episode! The high point of it all is Worf saying "Sorry" after tripping with Geordi's lute!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

That was a really good list. I love the Q and the Grey, and the fact that Adam's favorite line from it is, "I'm not talking about the puppy." 😆

when in Picard dies in ST Picard - i had the sense that that is really the end of Jean Luc Picard in the flesh - because his consciousness might be living on, yet he himself (and his real brain) are dead. just when watching your Q episodes, i felt strange that Q would not be at his side during this time. I don´t know what, but something in me was sad at that realization. Not so much that Data was gone for good, the real Picard is somewhat gone for good, but that Pupil-Teacher relationship they have had is no longer there.

As a foil to Picard, Q needs to be in the Picard series but how could they do it without being too cheesy? Without spoiling, Picard gets another new lease on life similar to the one Q gives him before. Maybe at the end of his life, Q visits Picard again and they ride off into the sunset again like Q did with Vash to truly go where no man has gone before

“Sir I protest, I am not a merry man” Worf... Best line in TNG

My favourite Q episodes are all ones that explore the Continuum and other members of it. I think my favourite is possibly True Q. Also, glad to see some appreciation for the Voyager episodes on this video - I've heard a few too many people criticise them and I think they're pretty good.

But Vash breaks those gender roles. She tries to escape on her own, not waiting for Picard.

Tapestry originated in a throw away line from Picard to Wesley when they were on the way to get his heart repaired a couple of seasons earlier. He explained about the fight and remembered that when the Nausicaan stabbed him Picard bizarrely laughed as he collapsed with the blade through his chest. The question, why did he laugh? inspired Tapestry.

There was one good Q part in that ds9 episode tho. When they are at the auction and he says something to the effect: "Oh by the way this station is now hurdeling to its doom and its very unliklely that any of you shall survive to enjoy your purchases, i'm sorry, continue, i just thought i should point that out." That was brilliant and very Q lol Also the way that he wouldent solve the problem for sysco or even help him find out what was going on was very Q too.....

About that thing with being accurate on how women were treated in that era... The point of that episode was to show how the crew would react when they were thrown into the robin hood storyline. So basically everybody OUTSIDE of the crew was acting like they were from 900 years ago and only the crew members were acting like people from the future being in that situation. I think vash acted very authentic to her character trying to sneak and trick her way out of the situation and maybe even benefit from it. Troy and Dr. Crusher were more side characters ,but that is just logical in an episode that was mostly about Picard admitting that he is in love with Vash and Q doing one of his "lessons" and let's be honest: Worf and Data are much better targets for cheap comedy than Crusher or Troy.

Really brilliant presentation, Adam. One of your best! Also very well written Sean. Surprised you didn't mention the best part of Deja Q, when Q asks what he has to do to prove he is human and Worf deadpans, "die".

"Sisko is the best captain." You're *goddamn* right he is

Q: "Con permiso, Capitan. The hall is rented, the orchestra engaged. It's now time to see if you can dance." Love that quote. :)

Adam, you're an absolute joy to watch and hear. Cheers man!

two points, Worf smashing the mandolin was one of the greatest homages to Animal House,EVER! then there is Q's final monologue in Q who?, not only the scariest episode of tng but the episode that made me a fan of tng. I can quote the monologue verbatim, and do so from time to time at the suffering and annoyance of my children when they bitch about how hard their lives are. it should be written in stone for all the whiny to see.oh, p.s. I think you nailed it.

10:10 Or Captain Archer, Captain Kirk, or even the Caeliar depending on how you look at it. (Archer- allowed the borg to send a message to thier future selves, informing them of the human race) (Kirk- possibly allowed a crew member to merge with Vger and create the first borg, go back in time and space, and assimilate itself) (the Caeliar- may have created the first Borg)

I appreciate that you made an accurate list, rather than putting a bad episode at 1, or a really good episode at 12, just too generate comments.

100% agreed! Tapestry is my absolute favorite episode! 😃👍🏼💯 Love your videos, Adam! 😍🥰😂 Please keep ‘em coming!

Anybody else think it's kind of hilarious that in All Good Things, the Enterprise is shown existing far into the future, as a highly modified dreadnought, and then the Enterprise's very next appearance is where it's destroyed?

So the best Q episodes were with Q the teacher. A teacher that pushes humanity forward and JP forward.

Q will come back on Star Trek Picard as a jaded broken god avenging the death of his son 😄😄

considering how few episodes he was actually in amazingly q is more well remembered than many of the regulars on the shows.

"Q Who" is my favorite. Q gives us his best monologue at the climax of the episode.

So a pretty good reasoning/breakdown. They put DL's character into the franchise just enough to keep him enigmatic and not overly cliche (trek wise). I think the episode where Picard has the probe encounter and gets a whole lifetime of memories processed through him (from the dude on the dying planet) was a great episode, as it gave a great spin on the '(requiem) message in a bottle ' story concept. Yes the season ending one with Picard episode, so it underplayed Q's part quite a bit, but I like that they used Q to try and throw a non-linear time concept at the viewers (as humans struggle with ideas outside of what they usually experience). So it was pretty pure to Roddenberry's TOS (when it had those 'science-y' what-if ones that made you think). To that extent it is interesting to note the choice of producers/directors to not throw Q in Enterprise (and instead use the time traveler 'Daniels' as the sort of Q stand-in). Rarely are the crew losses really 'emphasized' from a moral/emotional standpointl, and are often given more softly as factsl; so Q killing a bunch of crew members didn't make him a villain all that much in the franchise (from a viewer standpoint), as crew losses were part of normal scientific exploration; Q just make that exploration harsher. Ultimately: It is hard to argue one way or another (if they should have used him more/less, better stories, etc) cannon wise he's a near-omnipotent transcendental being (apparently he wasn't limited to just Star Trek's Galaxy, so from the viewer and in-universe perspective he was totally next-level as far as knowledge/understanding of the trek universe). Kind of hard to cast such an entity. The comparison would be the White/Black Guardians in Doctor Who (and really all the other 'gods' from the original run); they couldn't be used extensively because well they could basically do anything, and were OP even compared to a regenerative dude in a n-dimensional time machine. There are other examples of equivalent characters (but my ones would be fictional stories; IE Paladine/Fizban in Dragonlance). In most situations the god-like characters are limited in story time or actions, because the in-tangible 'perfect' choices or OP powers they could use would basically make a story either 10x shorter or 10x longer depending on what approach was taken. :)

I love all the Star Trek characters and the actors who bring them to life. But other than Spock, my favorites are those who are naughty and/or eccentric. Q is #1 for me-always. Next come Lwaxana Troi, Quark and Garak, among others. It’s fun watching these characters get away with behavior I would never dare to attempt. Plus they all have their good sides along with their quirks.

I love the delivery of flowers for Gene Luck Pikard...

Wow, a listing on KZfaq that, I actually agree with. When looking at each Star Trek episode only from the stand point of how "Q" was used, you did an excellent job! However, I enjoy watching the Deep Space Nine episode with Q" but, not to see him but instead to watch Captain P's girlfriend the rouge Ms. Vash (and ... oh my does she not, always seem to land on her feet).

"So not only is that Q and his son, but it's the actor... and his... You don't get that very often." Not even the first time either. Patrick Stewart's son Daniel played his son, Batai, in "the Inner Light". I would also make an argument against "Tapastry" on this list. Show me evidence that Q was even involved with Picard in that episode as opposed to a "death dream". While the characterization of Q was spot on, and John de Lancie put on a tour du force performance (John Luck Pickered anyone?), his appearance can be explained by other means. Idea for a list though. Star Trek characters played by multiple actors. There have been at least two Leonardo d'Vinci's and three Zephrim Cochrans. Alternatively, Star Trek actors who played multiple roles.

Sometimes I think the only reason I come around, Jean-Luc, is to hear you give those wonderful speeches.

When I first saw Q in Encounter at Far Point my thought was, oh my this is going to be corny. But man, he evolved into one of my favorite recurring ST characters. Well written episodes, interesting character development and tactfully used.... just a great character and great acting by John DeLancey...

The way Q interacts with Worf is hilarious. He’s just so dismissive and sarcastic. Stay well out there everybody, and Jesus Christ be with you friends.😊

Excellent list, great job. Keep it up! And thank you for giving Deja Q the respect it deserves, and excellent and hilarious episode that often gets ragged on undeservedly.

Best Trek episode so far, so glad you guys made this channel

I love Q and Guinan together haha need more of that

Tapestry is wonderful! You wouldn't Star Trek could do It's a Wonderful Life, but it does. It helped me realize that my regrets . . . maybe I shouldn't regret them after all.

Deja Q is by far the best Q episode and one of the best TNG episodes. I have rewatched Deja Q more than any other Star Trek episode in any series.

I always loved that one interaction Q: How do I prove I am mortal to you? Worf: Die LOL

Good list. I don't agree with you for best episode however. I have a tie for my favorite episode. The Measure of a Man and The Offspring. Those shows are so powerful. The first really putting a focus on how to treat your fellow man. Or woman etc. And the second one, well. I still cry at the end. Even though I've seen it a hundred times. Well done mate! Great list! Looking forward to seeing more.

If Q had not made such an impression on fans in Encounter at Farpoint, we would not have seen Q again. I would have given it a much better ranking.

As someone whose favourite character in all of fiction is this enigmatic bastard, this was a joy ^_^ On the note of Tapestry, to me it's not only the best Q episode, it's the best *Picard* episode. You've got this seemingly pretty static guy here who plays by the rules far more than Kirk, and when I originally watched this I had to ponder: where did that zeal come from? Did it just get dragged out when he needed the rules to piss off? What's that wonderful rebellious streak about when it seems a bit at odds with the rest of him? And this answers that perfectly; without zest, without the ambition and silliness and warmth and passion of being younger and unafraid, we can't achieve the greatness that is Jean-Luc Picard. His journey through this episode, the conclusions he draws as the guy reliving his youth and the man who would rather die than remain as what he's become, says more about him than anything else in the whole canon. It's a goddamn masterpiece. ... Also Q kissed him on the forehead originally in his quarters and that was cut, and I for one find that really bloody adorable xD

1. Q Who 2. All Good Things… 3. Tapestry My favorite part of "Hide and Q" (which made me watch the episode both times it was initially broadcast) was "I… I feel so foolish."/"Quite right. And so you should."

I really enjoy your content. Thank you

Agreed. Pretty spot on. I've met Delancie. He is so nice and smart and so, Q. They scored huge when they casted him. Only disagreement. Best Q line ever. "Very good Worf. Eat any good books lately."

I couldn't agree with you more on the order you put them in. Great ranking list!

I grew up watching every new episode that came out of Star Trek TNG. I own the entire run, and I just wanted to thank you for your vids.

Slightly different order, but your top five marry up with my top five! Excellent video!

I expected maybe a mention of Q's appearance in Lower Decks XD XD

Just as well Q only made one appearance in Deep Space Nine. The character never fit well into the dour setting (and they already had enough ongoing divinity shenanigans with the Prophets anyway).

'Q Who?' was the first time TNG really started to set itself apart from TOS. I really liked how, when Picard asked the wise, cheerful and optimistic Guinnan how they could defeat the Borg, she just says "you can't fight them and you can't talk to them... just fooken cheese-it dude, they'll kill us all!!!"

I'm still hoping for him to show up in Discovery and Picard.

My fave Q Episodes are: 1. Q Who- Q introduces the Borg & gives the TNG crew a well deserved reality check. 2. Tapestry: "Its A Wonderful Life", Star Trek style. 3. "All Good Things": Q evaluates and judges humanity, forcing Picard to deal with a paradox. Wish Q had appeared on Enterprise as well. It wouldn't even violate canon. In Encounter at Farpoint, Q says that mankind had gone too far in exploring the galaxy; it can be shown that Q met Jonathan Archer's crew and gives them a 200+ year 'probation period', after which he would appear again. The meeting can simply be flagged as Top Secret/Classified.

I've written an entire article on the exchange between Picard, Riker, Troi and then Q at the end of the episode. Loved "Tapestry" too Clery!

Great breakdown, thanks.

Great ranking. Of course. I was so sure All Good Things would make the top spot, but this is a perfect choice and...yes...made me shed a tear or two. I'm an old softie.

Captain Sisco is a literal crazy person who unleashed deadly biological weapons against human beings, many of them civilians, admitting while doing it that he was indeed “the bad guy.” “Best Captain?”