Wooo! Made it through the TOS movies and on to TNG! Also I know it is odd for me to do two episodes in one go, but netflix has combined them and I didn't really feel like stopping. Encounter at Farpoint was actually quite a bit better than I remembered. This is the first episode of Trek that I watched during it's original airing after having seen a handful of TOS episodes. At the time I was fascinated by the saucer section separation and the battle bridge, neither of which would have any significant role in the episode. I also recall this being an episode that didn't fit in well with the rest when viewed as a rerun and I can see why. The characters, especially the captain, are a lot stiffer than they are throughout the rest of the series. This is clearly a combination of it being a pilot and this being the first voyage with this crew of the ship. It makes me understand even better why neither TOS pilot was aired as the first episode, but since this one introduces the crew it could hardly be bumped later into the season.
The episode begins with Picard wandering the decks of his new ship. After going through engineering and a few other key areas he ends up on the bridge. They are on their way to Farpoint station to pick up the rest of the crew and negotiate the possible entry into the Federation of the builders of Farpoint. Suddenly a red grid that registers on sensors as solid appears before them. Picard stops the ship and before they can figure out what is going on Q appears in the garb of a 16th century naval captain. He blusters around the bridge and freezes a redshirt for good measure (which the redshirt somehow survives, I guess this really isn't TOS). After messing around a bit more Q disappears and Picard decides their only option is to run. He sets out at maximum warp, but that isn't enough. Picard then decides to risk all the lives on the ship by detaching the saucer section at warp speed. Of course it works, but Q catches them any way.
The action moves to a primitive courtroom with armed soldiers and a clamoring crowd. Q is presiding as judge over this show trial. After bickering with Picard for a while and almost killing Tasha Yar Q agrees to judge them not by what humanity has done in the past, but by how they handle their current mission. We join Commander Riker at Farpoint where he is meeting with the head of the station, a creepy looking dude named Zorn. During the meeting Riker is offered fruit which he turns down due to a lack of apples, but suddenly an entire basket of apples is on the desk as well. This creeps Riker out and after he leaves Zorn yells at no one in particular. Riker runs into Dr. Crusher and Wesley wandering around shopping for fabric. The doctor is looking for something in particular and exactly what she is looking for appears suddenly.
The Enterprise arrives and Riker beams aboard and is met coldly by Picard. After a brief talk about whether he will let Picard risk his own life the two of them seem to be getting along better. Picard also warns Riker that he hates children and may need help dealing with them. So of course later Wesley gets onto the bridge and pisses Picard off mightily. Data and Riker meet in the holodeck to introduce it as well and Wesley manages to fall into a river soaking himself. Date, Riker, Geordi, Diana and Tasha. They find that the tunnels below the station are made of an unknown material and Troi senses incredibly powerful feelings of pain. Suddenly an unknown ship appears and opens fire on the city around Farpoint. Everybody but Riker and Data beam up and the two of them rush to Zorn's office.
Riker confronts Zorn about what is happening, but before he can tell them anything he disappears in a strange transporter pattern. Riker and Data beam back to the Enterprise as Q appears on the bridge. He challenges Picard to beam over to the alien ship and Picard defies him, but Riker really wants to go. Riker goes over with Geordi, Data and Troi and they find the interior looks just like the tunnels at Farpoint, on the psychic energy is much angrier. The find Zorn in some sort of pain field, but when they get him out the action cuts back to the Enterprise. Q is telling Picard he is out of time and Picard agrees to do whatever Q says to get his crew back. Just then they appear, but Troi is quick to point out this wasn't Q, it was the "ship" which is actually a huge alien. Farpoint is the same kind of alien which was trapped by Zorns people and forced to serve them. Picard sends Farpoint a beam of nourishing energy and it turns into a spacejellyfish and flies away. Q angrily leaves them to continue their voyage.
Review: I think I would have hated this a lot more had I not just watched through TOS and its movies. The plot of this episode is much more in line with TOS than later TNG episodes and getting to compare it to TMP and V both of which I watched last week makes it look even better. Sure Picard calls for, "printouts only," which I am pretty sure is just a continuity problem and there are other parts that still feel a bit half baked, but overall this is probably one of the better first season episodes.
7 out of 10
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