#Also think that for a good part of TNG Picard would not really view Q as someone capable of seeing anyone

[yourbuerokrat2]

Picard in TNG, especially early to mid TNG, would be so mortified if anyone were to tell him that he would end up with Q. 

Just imagine Picard meeting some entity that knows Picard from the future and just got a bit confused when travelling through time (they are just trying to get the hang of it, ok? It’s hard figuring this kind of stuff out by yourself) and ended up there. 

They are just kind of confused as to why Picard is alone because usually Q is never too far away from him. Not really noticing at first how uncomfortable everyone, and especially Picard, is getting by their rambling and the implications behind their words about just what Picards life could become in the future, they suddenly stop themselves. 

“Oh, oh,  you are still mortal right now? I... I see. Well, just forget everything I just said. And .. pleased don’t tell Q? Anyway, see you in a couple thousand years for our first meeting.”

And they are gone. 

No one is allowed to even mention or acknowledge that anything even close to this encounter has ever happened. 

[yourbuerokrat2]

My two cents. Again I think the answers would be very to slightly different on wether we are talking about early!TNG, late!TNG or Picard!Q.

Would Q use Picards drunkenness as an opportunity?

Early!Q: Maybe. Q is not entirely sure, what he wants from Picard but maybe Picard is just kind of frustrated and thinks that if he gives into Q a bit the entity will get bored and leave him alone. Also considering Picard can’t really stand Q in early TNG the Captain woudl have to be very drunk. Q would make some suggestion/invade Picards space and if the Captain responds in an accepting manner, sure. 

Early!TNG Q would also get kind of the benefit of the doubt in knowing how dubious the consent it is to have sex with someone drunk, since even though at this point in their aquaintance Picard would not do it sober, Q at this point never having actually been in an organic body, having possibly no idea just how alcohol affects the way of thinking/reacting aside from the theoretical stuff and Qs ego would be big enough to tell himself that of course would do it sober as well because ‘who wouldn’t`. Q would not understand Picards regret the morning after and even less Picard accusing him of taking advantage of him in this state. 

Late!TNG Q would be tempted. Very tempted, especially if Picard with his walls down is suggesting something or even implying that Qs possible attraction is not onesided. But he has been organic, he now has a better idea of how utterly different the state of minds between drunk and sober are and even though a part of him really, really wants to he won’t. Becauses he already has reached some progress with Picard thinking him not that bad of a ‘guy’ and Picard opening up like this and actually being a bit comfortable around him is not something Q would want to risk now. Would definitly sober Picard up with a snap and then tease about whatever Picard did or said when drunk. 

Picard!Q (not dying of ‘unknown illness’ but still a bit mad and more mature) would watch Picard with incredible fondness but his smile would be bittersweet when Picard sits down and talks about certain things. He would want to as well, but for a good part he is more than content to just be Picards companion. If Picard actually voiced or implied any kind of feelings on his part, then this Q would ask Picard if it would be okay if they continued this with Picard in a more sober state. Would snap Picard into being sober again, although it would not be a sudden change but rather a slow one. 

Generally, all Qs would find drunk!Picard entertaining and funny and would tease him about it. Although the more Picard and Q know each other the less mean-spirited the teasing is. Early!Q might not really know what a hangover is or why it is bad but might just help Picard with a ‘snap and gone’ although eh would be annoyed. LateTNG!Q and Picard!Q having a better idea of what pain actually feels like for an organic and understand better how the human body works, make sure that Picard doesn’t even have a Hangover. 

Drunk!Q

Picard better hope that he and Q are alone. 

EarlyTNG!Q who still doesn’t view and treat people, especially humans, as well other people who deserve respect experimenting a bit with some nebulas and himself and getting the equivalent of drunk would get send to the Enterprise so Qs latests favorite toy would be forced to deal with Q like this instead of the Continuum who makes a quick note that no Q ever do something like this again. If you asked Picard how the experience of dealing with a drunk!Q was he would probably say .. strange and humiliating. Again, early!Q probably doesn’t really know what Picard is to him and what exactly he wants with Picard, but a certain kind of fascination and interest is there at one point. Would be clingy although less in a friend-clingy way and more in a childish kind of way. Onesided hug that is a bit too tight for Picards comfort. Q never once stops talking and any questions are mostly rhetoric and Q either treats Picards answers with drunk condescension or teasing. In the end, Q does make Picard like he has become this entities most favorite toy. 

Late/AfterTNG!Q actually gives Picard some respect and Picard would consider the experience as a bit strange and that it leaves him with some quesstions and things to ponder. Similar scenario like above, but Qs treatment of Picard would be different. Considering Q has at this point saved Picards life twice and them being on better terms, I can see Picard actually being kind of worried at first about what happened to Q. Until Q himself lets him know. Then Picard is a bit annoyed, but he would let Q stay till he was whatever the Q equivalent of sober would be. Clingy and invasion of person space but more in a friendly and teasing manner, actually reminds Picard of friends he has had in this state cling to him for some stability because of dizziness although they never made the kindof ... comments Q was making. Conversation would be a whole lot less onesided, still with Qs arrogance, because he actually cares about Picards opinion. Maybe a kiss/peck on the cheek before he disappears that shocks Picard. 

Picard!Q is a ... strange drunk. Seems kind of...off and Picard can for the first time since they met actually feel and see Qs age. Tries to keep conversation a bit light-hearted but it quickly becomes more philosophical about life, death and the nature of eternity. When Picard talks, this one just ... stares at him. Full attention yet with a drunk stare that goes on for lightyears. Hug and touch has a kind ‘I don’t want to ever let you go’ nature but is still light because Q does not Picard to feel caged or even just uncomfortable. Picard is the one that asks if it wouldn’t be a better idea if they were both sober for this kind of conversation. 

WOOO! HOO!

Ok, I just thought of it!

I know a few people have touched on alcohol, and either Q or Picard getting drunk in their fanfics.

But from a Qcard analysis standpoint, what if Picard or Q actually did get drunk one day during a trip somewhere?

For Picard:

Do you think Q would use that as an opportunity to fully seduce Picard to get him to sleep with him?

Would Q think it amusing and take pleasure in sobering Jean-Luc up? Create insane concoctions for him to drink to combat hangover?

Would Q be put off by his duty bound, serious- minded captain getting intoxicated? Would Q mock him for looking silly, and give him a hard time about it? Or, maybe he'd have sympathy?

What if the reverse was the case?

For Q:

What would Q be like drunk? As an omnipotent, non-biological, interdimensional being that doesn't require food, obviously Q couldn't lose control like that. But, what if he could? What if his fruity concoctions served in butternut squashes 😏 happened to be a little potent?

Would his powers go crazy? What things could Q do?

Let's raise a glass or cup of whatever we're drinking now--coffee, tea, hot chocolate, beer, or whatever the current beverage of choice is, and think about this!

[swordsandrayguns]

Riker’s Beard And Family Time: Looking Back At Star Trek: TNG

I write science fiction and fantasy novels… so I am no stranger to things dubbed “nerdy.” The last few months, though, I have been doing something that pushes the boundaries of nerdy even for me. I’m watching all the Star Trek properties in the order of their release. Yup, an epic binge watch covering over five decades of television series, cartoons and motion pictures. Look, I can try to explain and rationalize this a couple ways. Truth is, I travel a great deal and have to fill the time I spent in airports and on planes (preferably with things I can download as oppose to stream). I am also, as an author, studying some of the great examples of “universe building” and epic story arcs. Still nerdy, though; I admit it.

Obviously, I started with the original series and jumped into the animated series. I timed this all so my viewing of Star Trek: The Motion Picture coincided with the the special 40th anniversary showings in theaters. I followed through the next couple of movies into The Next Generation, alternating in movies and even the original series pilot The Cage (which was originally made available to the public as a pay per view offering between the first and second seasons of The Next Generation) as they fell in the original release timeline. I am getting to the end of the fifth season of Next Generation now and very much looking forward to alternating between episodes of The Next Generation, Deep Space 9 and even the occasional film in the near future.

Just in case you are wondering, I am pretty dedicated to sticking to the timeline but I am not strictly adhering to it. As I find myself, for example, in a hotel with channels such as BBC America or the Heroes and Icons channel I will only turn on episodes that have already showed up in my series overview… so no DS9, Voyager or Enterprise (yet) but the adventures of Kirk and company are fair game, as are Next Generation episodes up to season five. On the other hand, I am still watching Discovery’s Short Treks as they come out and I am definitely watching Picard as soon as I get a chance (meaning on my big screen at home instead of streaming it on my laptop over shaky hotel wifi). 

Even though I have not finished the complete rewatch, I find that I already have some new thoughts and ideas about I have seen so far starting with Riker’s beard.

Star Trek The Next Generation has generated a basketful of memes from “Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.” to “I am not a merry man” but undeniably the greatest is “Riker’s beard.” Just as the Internet has given us “jumping the shark,” the phrase to mark when a show is never quite as good again named for a really stupid moment when Fonzie was in Hawaii, it gave us “Riker’s beard” to mark the opposite. To this day, I know people that will immediately turn off an episode of The Next Generation if Jonathan Frakes turns up clean shaven (or if Wesley is in it, but that is a whole different story and, honestly, my harsh view of Wesley softened a bit with this re-watch). My first revelation from my Next Generation binge is that while season two, when the beard shows up, is better than season one, it is not when Next Generation really hits its stride.

First of all, let me defend season one of Star Trek The Next Generation. Twenty one years after the premiere of Star Trek, after three seasons of a pioneering science fiction drama, a year of the animated series and four feature films, Star Trek The Next Generation had to take up the incredibly difficult challenge of continuing one of the world’s beloved stories without a single character from the original series. Even more difficult, the real world had changed. Where the original Star Trek was making a statement by having a Russian, an Asian and an African woman on the bridge The Next Generation would not have made any statements with this type of casting. After all, when Picard met his crew and first face Q at Farpoint the biggest show on television focused on the an upper middle class African American family, something that was absolutely unthinkable when Kirk boldly set forth with his crew. 

The first season of Star Trek The Next Generation not only introduced Q, the Ferengi and Data’s not so lovable android brother Lore it killed a main character. Star Trek The Next Generation took a major step that not only the original series never tackled but most shows avoid. Sure, other shows tease it and even then it was usually on a season ending cliffhanger. Even the original series backed away from the only death of a major character they ever portrayed with an entire movie dedicated to reversing it. Star Trek The Next Generation killed Tasha Yar completely out of the blue with three episodes left in the first season. This incredibly bold move cast a shadow on the entire series, adding a real threat to future episodes. 

Is season one perfect? Oh, no. Not at all. Not even close, but like I already mentioned it had an amazingly difficult challenge facing it. The fans were expecting… well, everything. Next Generation was trying to stay true to the essence of Star Trek while making itself something new. They put families on the Enterprise to emphasize it was a vehicle of exploration, not a military ship. They made sure there was not a Vulcan to be found and put the odd man in a kilt wandering the hallways. They put a Klingon on the bridge! But then they had to deal with it all.

Season two was better. For one thing, the anticipation and the expectations were gone. The show made it through the first season and when it came back with its second season it was coming back as Star Trek The Next Generation not “the new Star Trek.” Ironically, due to a writers’ strike, season two actually started off with a script recycled from the ill-fated Star Trek: Phase II series. In addition to the first officer’s facial hair, the second season brought Whoopi Goldberg on board as the ship’s bartender and saw Diana Muldaur (in her third Star Trek universe role as Dr. Pulaski) taking over the sick bay from Dr. Crusher. Geordi La Forge also migrated from the bridge to take over engineering. It was always a bit odd, somehow, in season one to not have the chief engineer as a major character, if only because the chief engineer would seem to play as an important of a role in the operations of the ship as, say, the ship’s counselor or a teenager doing his after school work study program as an acting ensign.

While season two was an improvement, it had its issues. Dr. Pulaski, playing a role meant, no doubt, to help humanize Data, came across as abrasive and (in my opinion) mean spirited. Gates McFadden had been fired, apparently because the head writer did not like her, but Gene Roddenberry resisted killing her character so Dr. Beverly Crusher merely transferred off the ship. When the head writer left the popular character of Dr. Crusher returned in season three. Whoopi Goldberg, although an interesting character, was the ship’s civilian bartender which is just kind of weird. Did the ship have a food court, too? The season was also shortened, because of the aforementioned writers’ strike, and it actually ended with (of all things) a clip show. A clip show!

As a final defense of season two, it did introduce the Borg, one of greatest science fiction villain races of all times. But was it really that much better than season one? Well, season two saw five episodes get a total of six Emmy nominations and won two (both technical Emmy awards related to the sound department). Season one’s premiere was the first television episode to be nominated for a Hugo Award in 15 years. Another season one episode was the first syndicated television episode to win a Peabody Award and six episodes gathered a total of seven Emmy nominations, winning three (for makeup, costume design and sound editing). If you place your faith in the numbers, it seems season one might have actually been better (at least if you go by its awards).

So by now, if I may be so bold as to make a prediction, you are probably thinking “This guy has put way too much thought into Star Trek The Next Generation” and “Okay, so if season two is not when The Next Generation gets great, when is it?” First, I said as an author I am studying Star Trek so cut me some slack. Second, I am glad you asked.

Star Trek The Next Generation, in my opinion, really hit its stride is the fourth season. Season four swept onto screens with the second part of season finale cliffhanger The Best Of Both Worlds. The Federation was facing the awesome might of the Borg and the crew of the Enterprise was desperately trying to save Picard, who had been taken and turned into Borg mouthpiece Locutus, so the season started with big action and drama. This quickly led to a series of episodes focusing on character relationships, particularly family relationships. 

After he is rescued, Picard is left a broken man and returns to his family’s vineyard in France. Although there had been several stories about Picard’s history, this was the first to address his family and his entry into Star Fleet. Data’s Day not only explored how the android navigated through his duties and relationships, it introduced Chief O’Brien’s new wife Keiko. The O’Briens are the focus in the very next episode, showing not only the natural difficulties they were having adjusting to their new life as a married couple but also O’Brien’s past Star Fleet career and the psychological wounds left by his service in the war with Cardassia. To me, Riker’s beard does not signify when Star Trek The Next Generation really gets good, it is when Keiko O’Brien appears.

Family was a major theme of the fourth season, as Worf discovered he was a father and worked to regain his family’s honor in the eyes of fellow Klingons. Luxanna Troi re-appeared as did the ghost of Tasha Yar when the crew encountered her sister. Data’s brother also made another appearance, as did Data’s creator. Data also grew a great deal, even being shown to try out a romantic relationship with another crew member. The true strength of Star Trek The Next Generation, as of season four, was that it was well established enough as a series to feature stories based on human relationships instead of action or the “alien of the week.”

It should also be noted that season four also brought more episodes which were a part of longer storylines, such as Worf’s dishonor and the political intrigues of the Klingon Empire. There were also many returning minor characters and new characters being set up for multiple appearances. It is only after three seasons Star Trek The Next Generation finally had established enough of its own universe for this to happen. Also, though, by season four plans were in motion for a second live action Star Trek series, one to run concurrently with Next Generation. It could have been that the introduction of multi-episode storylines were a result of the producers consciously attempting to expand the Star Trek universe while starting to differentiate Next Generation from the upcoming Deep Space Nine.

Ironically, season four also marks Star Trek The Next Generation outlasting its predecessor in terms of seasons on the air. While this did not actually influence the formation of my opinion season four is when Next Generation really gets good, it does really make me wonder what Star Trek may have become if it had a season four.