1.10 — “Hide and Q”
Plot: The Enterprise is flooshing to the rescue of some distressed miners on a distant planetoid when it runs smack into Q’s Tholian Web from “Encounter at Farpoint.” Yes, Q is back, and he wants to test the humans again for some reason best known to the writing staff. The focus is on Riker this time, who receives from Q, as a gift, the full power of the Q Continuum. Our best and brightest has been chosen to Godhood. Will he be corrupted by power?
Thoughts: This episode is preachy, moralistic, cheesy, and verbose. But it has something good going for it: watching it, I felt like I did not know what was going to happen from one moment to the next. What a difference that makes! I admit, I liked it. I really did.
Which is not to say that there aren’t problems. The worst, I’m afraid, is the continuing sexism of the writers. Yar is humiliated by horrible dialogue and plotting, in which the first thing the writers can think of to do is to put her in a “penalty box” and make her cry. I will just pretend I didn’t hear what they made her say to the Captain at the end of this scene. Then, when Geordi is gifted with sight, the first thing he does is make a comment about Yar’s appearance. The best gift Q can think of to give Worf is a woman as his very own possession. Yes, a purely sexualized Klingon woman, in fetish lingerie, and he immediately indulges himself by belting her. The writer’s room needs serious therapy.
Watching Jonathan Frakes play Riker–I don’t know what to say. I’m starting to enjoy it. The way he poses all the time, never more ridiculously than after getting his extra powers. I need a standee with Riker in that pose to put in my office at work.
Let’s face it: Riker is a penis. He’s false, smarmy, and a total dumbass. But he is our false, smarmy dumbass. I think he’s growing on me. Am I crazy?
Another thing I don’t like is the continuing theme of social evolution. According to TNG, we are moving up a one-way ladder of social development, and the end point is in the Q Continuum, or beyond. I don’t buy it. It reminds me of eugenics, and the 1930s. It seems like a convenient excuse to condescend to outsiders (see: “Lonely Among Us” and “Justice”). Maybe it was possible to think this way when Ronald Reagan was president, before the first Gulf War. It seems quaint, at best, today.
Q appearing in historic military gear hearkens back, again, to the character’s roots in “The Squire of Gothos.” John de Lancie’s hair looks terrible. But I like that the character is so fond of dressing up–and I love him as Data. He might break the TOS record, held by Khan and Lenore Karidian, as the guest-star-of-the-week with the most costume changes. And he is a good performer. I don’t buy that this alien from another galaxy would get in a Shakespeare quoting contest with a 26th century starship captain–I mean, that’s ridiculous–but it’s almost worth it, just because of the actors.
So, strangely–even though there are false notes everywhere… I enjoyed it. Grade: Pass.
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