QPid

DVD, TNG S4 (QPid)

Q may pretend this was about a lesson on love for Picard, but really it was all for the sake of having some fun! It's not one of the better episodes for Q, because he's just there to cause a bit of trouble, the writers coming up with a new-found conscience to explain wanting to repay Picard and the crew for saving his life. There isn't anything else going on behind the veneer, whereas Q usually has ulterior motives or a real lesson to teach. This doesn't impact the story, but I believe this was one of John De Lancie's least favourite appearances, playing Q the jester, Q the tease, Q the troublemaker, rather than a multi-dimensional Q (I know, I know, they're a race of multi-dimensional beings...).

The real impact comes between Picard and his friend from Risa, Vash. The grave-robber is back to use the Enterprise's visit as an excuse to get into an off-limits archeological site, while having some fun seeing the Captain again. This is better than last season's 'Captain's Holiday' in which they first met, because back then Jean-Luc was free to be himself, on holiday and away from his responsibilities and his crew. Here he has to deal with Vash while retaining his professional dignity, something his crew enjoy immeasurably. In particular Beverly reacts quite strongly to this woman Picard has never spoken about - we see that their friendship has moved on without us realising, she and Picard sharing tea together each morning. Riker is his usual self, immediately approaching Vash on visual contact, reinforcing his reputation.

At one point Picard is trying to go to sleep and Q appears beside his bed. He's never had a double-bed before, but for some reason, namely for the fact that Q casually makes himself comfortable on one side, he has one in this episode. Since last season began to bring a greater degree of confidence to Picard in terms of dealing with others on a personal level, we rarely see the embarrassment or loss of dignity that could be so funny in the early seasons, so it's a joy to see him stutter away when Crusher finds Vash and he, or at any other moment when he's on the back foot thanks to her cheekiness.

The reason everyone remembers this episode is for the Robin Hood recreation, so it's surprising it takes so long to get to that point. It's worth it when we finally do find the senior staff transported to Nottingham Forest, all dressed as merry men, even Data there and suitably tonsured as Friar Tuck, while Picard looks the spitting image of Errol Flynn. It's clear Q's inspiration is the 1938 Flynn film, not just for Picard's little beard, but the way he trots nimbly down from table to floor, or wields a sword expertly. It's amazing the crew know such swordsmanship, but it may be they all enjoy a bit of sword-fighting in the holodeck - even Beverly and Troi seem to be enjoying themselves immensely as they smash pots over the heads of the guards! Q certainly repaid his debt. Not by the 'lesson' learned about love being a weakness, but for showing the 'TNG' crew a good time. He obviously doesn't agree with taking his own advice because he goes off with Vash at the end, the very person he was warning Picard against! This storyline carried through into the first season of 'DS9', about a year and a half later where we discover things haven't been all that smooth between Q and Vash on their travels. Q would take a bit of a break from 'TNG', but as we've now passed into the second half of the series, it seems like it's almost over already, and Q would of course be back before the end.

Picard, here in the middle of the series' run, is still not relaxed enough to be more than the private Captain we've known from the start. But he's certainly progressing to the man who sits down at the Poker table with his crewmates and friends in the final episode - he's closer to Beverly, he's shown he can let people in when he chooses, and it's fascinating to see the man develop over the course of these years we share with him. As a comedy episode this isn't bad, though it can't rival the sheer hilarity of some of the 'DS9' Ferengi episodes or the holodeck recreations of James Bond or whatever, but there is still something of a kick to be had from seeing the regulars dress up in period garb, and there are certainly some good lines (mainly from Worf or about him!), plus some rousing, triumphant Robin Hood-style music, which gives everything even more of an Errol Flynn air. There's also a link to 'The Empire Strikes Back' as Clive Revill, who played Sir Guy of Gisborne was the first actor to appear as Emperor Palpatine (though his face has since been replaced by Ian McDiarmid on the DVD versions, which I'm sure he wouldn't be too happy about!).

***