Weekend Trek “True Q”

Jimmy and Tom love a good Q episode, and Star Trek the Next Generation knew better than to feature the character too often.  So, when he does return, it’s at least going to be a good time for the guys.

That’s the theory.  Did it work out?  Find out below.

“True Q”

Q returns to test a Starfleet medical intern that he claims may be one of his kind.

jimmy:  Man, whatever happened to Olivia d’Abo?

tomk:  She joined the Q Continuum?

jimmy:  Somehow, I knew that was going to be your answer.

tomk:  You still asked. I thought you would have been happy with those puppies.

jimmy:  Who doesn’t like puppies?

tomk:  Cat lovers?  People with allergies?  Angry loners?

jimmy:  But…puppies!

tomk:  Do you want a puppy now?

jimmy:  Good God, no.

tomk:  Oh. Sorry, Rover.

And he was getting his bath.

https://twitter.com/thepuppiesclub/status/1609972625866129409?s=61&t=eM5va6_wC-lBpfIZpTVWLQ

jimmy:  Speaking of puppies, there is a long deleted scene on the Blu-Ray where Troi brings New Q an actual puppy.  Between this and the cut scene in “Relics,” Sirtis must have been starting to take things personally.

tomk:  Well, she was still getting paid.

jimmy:  That’s true.

tomk:  But hey, New Q said her adopted parents were Starfleet marine biologists. I got a picture of her dad.

jimmy:  Looks about right. Lt. Vanderlay.

tomk:  And apparently, Dr. Crusher is part Irish setter.

jimmy:  And sometimes all Irish setter.

tomk:  Funny, Crusher is later revealed to be Scottish.

jimmy:  A Scottish setter?

tomk:  It doesn’t matter. The Q Continuum likes dogs.

jimmy:  Apparently.

tomk:  Maybe you are a Q.

jimmy:  I do like dogs.

tomk:  Can you warp time and space to your will?

jimmy:  Let me try…

Watson’s still here, so, nope.

tomk:  Where did this giant pile of chips, donuts, and bottles of root beer come from?

jimmy:  Maybe you’re Q, Tom?!?

tomk:  Nah.

jimmy:  Too bad. Are you going to eat that stuff?

tomk:  Nah.

jimmy:  I’ll just put it in my office for safe keeping.

tomk:  Do you need to borrow the handcart?

jimmy:  Yes.

tomk:  Watson borrowed it. Don’t ask what he’s moving.

jimmy:  Probably that crate that almost made Riker 4 foot 6.

tomk:  It’s a good thing New Q just deflected it and probably crushed three other crewmen off-camera.

jimmy:  Haha. No one cares about those guys.

tomk:  One was the First Contact alien. Another was Geordi’s ex Christy. The third was Captain Jake. He recovered.

jimmy:  Phew!

tomk:  It also gave him another reason to drink.

jimmy:  Because he needed that.

tomk:  Yeah, but now he doesn’t drink to have a good time. He drinks to forget a bad one. Too bad Scotty took the good real booze.

jimmy:  Guinan likely has more stashed away.

tomk:  She better.

jimmy:  She had a lot left over when her bar on Earth closed down.

tomk:  I’m sure that can’t be because that episode won’t be made for a few more decades.

jimmy:  Guinan is magic.

tomk:  She also sat this episode out.

jimmy:  Less surprising than her not appearing when Scotty arrived. Though she does have a history with Q.

tomk:  Q tries to avoid her.

jimmy:  That’s true.

tomk:  Besides, Q was performing a valuable service this time.

jimmy:  Was he though?  Seemed like he was there to kill her most likely.

tomk:  He said he had to make sure that New Q could control her powers and wasn’t going to go around causing all kinds of trouble and destruction.  You don’t want something like that where there are random acts of violence that make no sense.

jimmy:  Q can control his powers…and he goes around causing all kinds of trouble and destruction.

tomk:  He doesn’t destroy galaxies willy-nilly.

jimmy:  So he says.

tomk:  He prefers mind games and pranks.

jimmy:  And trials.

tomk:  That might have been a prank or mind game.

jimmy:  Clever.

tomk:  But it did mean Q and Picard got to argue ethics.

jimmy:  Once Data figured out that tornadoes don’t usually appear out of nowhere, destroy one house and then dissipate.

tomk:  The Q have different standards.

jimmy:  Couldn’t the Q strip them of their powers instead of just saying, “ok, you can stay on Earth and be human, but if you use your powers at all, we’ll kill you”?

tomk:  Do the Q seem reasonable to you?

jimmy:  They do not.

tomk:  I mean, people have different standards. I mean, would you like this bacon sandwich?

jimmy:  Would I?!?!

tomk:  Well, let me check what the judges think.

See?  Different standards.

jimmy:  Dang. Maybe New Q can whip me up one in between saving the Enterprise and that entire planet that was certainly not a commentary on the then current state of affairs on Earth.

tomk:  I don’t think New Q is just handing out sandwiches.

jimmy:  Man, I can’t catch a break.

tomk:  Maybe you just need your own spin-off.

jimmy:  Was this a back door pilot?

tomk:  Sure. The Outer Wonder Years.

jimmy:  Heh. I just thought with your spin-off comment…

tomk:  What?  That this episode led somewhere?

jimmy:  Something like that.

tomk:  Well, no. But the next one may have some final appearances.

jimmy:  Someone who was afraid of spiders and someone that loves plants?

tomk:  Well, you’re very close.

jimmy:  Afraid of snakes?

tomk:  That was the most overrated episode. Picard and Indy just quietly discussed archeology for the entire run time.

jimmy:  I’d watch it.

tomk:  Would you watch one that featured a lot of Picard but very little Patrick Stewart?

jimmy:  I’m not sure how that would work, but why not.

tomk:  We can go see.

jimmy:  I’m certainly intrigued.

tomk:  Good. We can answer all your unasked questions about those cryptic comments unless you want to say more about Olivia d’Abo.

jimmy:  Say?  No.

tomk:  Ask about her?

jimmy:  Uh, let’s just move on.

tomk:  In that case, it’s time to do some babysitting.

Next:  “Rascals”