# Sept 28, 1987 - Encounter At Farpoint **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 26, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640 "2014-09-26T15:19:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/21 "2014-09-27T00:10:05Z")
The Lonely Squire of Gothos. In our original viewing, we thought that Q might BE Trelane all growed up. It would explain his fascination with the Enterprise. We liked the new touches. Worf, as someone noted, showed that Things Have Changed. The promise of Errand of Mercy had been fulfilled. But, I hated McCoy’s cameo. To me, that seemed more of a pathetic ‘passing the torch’. And unnecessary. We were here watching it - we didn’t need handholding. We were ready for the Future. And then we got _The Naked Now._ Reruns! At least it got better quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/22 "2014-09-27T00:34:44Z")
Whatever happened to Chief Argyle? ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/23 "2014-09-27T00:53:37Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Whatever happened to Chief Argyle? He wasn’t even in this one. Nor was he in the next one - that one’s chief of engineering was [Sarah MacDougal](http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Sarah_MacDougal). ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/24 "2014-09-27T01:19:17Z")
Too bad we never saw that cute ensign who flirted with Riker again. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/25 "2014-09-27T01:28:46Z")
Who is that Captain? That’s not Kirk! Robot Spock will never be as good as Original Spock. Dump him. What the hell is up with that Klingon’s head? Why is that frizzy-haired woman running around in a short outfit when the doctor and security chief are wearing long pants? What’s that kid doing there? Well, I’m sure he’ll end up being a background character. Why did they bring in a 130-year old Dr. McCoy? I’m sure glad they’ll only try that once and never bring any other characters back from TOS. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/26 "2014-09-27T01:39:46Z")
I was born in 1990. I didn’t watch this episode when it first aired I didn’t get into Star Trek until high school and didn’t watch TNG until college. I like “Encounter at Farpoint” it’s one of my favorites of a weak first season I like Q he is the best character ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/27 "2014-09-27T02:39:32Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > Yeah, in my TV market, apparantly it was thought that Levar Burton (Guster) was so well known that promo articles virtually featured him as the star of the show. I knew one little girl who hated Geordi because (she said) Levar Burton wouldn’t be able to do _ **Reading Rainbow** _ anymore (I don’t know if she was right or not). ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/28 "2014-09-27T02:42:06Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Why is that frizzy-haired woman running around in a short outfit when the doctor and security chief are wearing long pants? Yeah, she should wear a catsuit that shows off her spectacular cleavage instead! :o The long pants made the Security Officer look more butch! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/29 "2014-09-27T02:46:34Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Who is that Captain? That’s not Kirk! It was Captain Guy Incognito! 😃 > [@](#): > > What the hell is up with that Klingon’s head? Didn’t you see _ **TMP** _ and _ **SfS** _? :dubious: > [@](#): > > Why did they bring in a 130-year old Dr. McCoy? I’m sure glad they’ll only try that once and never bring any other characters back from TOS. Except for Scotty. And Kirk. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/30 "2014-09-27T03:00:45Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > It was called a “skant” > > I guess for skirt/pant > > Yes, it was supposed to be gender neutral. Like the hero’s getup in _ **Magnus, Robot Fighter** _: [![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_W7f9vYIdcmU/TNeLNeXDDII/AAAAAAAAAYM/fKWjJ_vjBaA/s1600/magnus-robot-fighter-4-back-cover.jpg) ](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_W7f9vYIdcmU/TNeLNeXDDII/AAAAAAAAAYM/fKWjJ_vjBaA/s1600/magnus-robot-fighter-4-back-cover.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/31 "2014-09-27T03:36:52Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Except for Scotty. And Kirk. :smack: OMG, I forgot Spock and Sarek. And Chekov in _ **Generations** _. :eek: Was Uhura the only one who _wasn’t_ on _ **TNG** _? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/32 "2014-09-27T04:05:59Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > OMG, I forgot Spock and Sarek. And Chekov in _ **Generations** _. :eek: > > Was Uhura the only one who _wasn’t_ on _ **TNG** _? 😕 Sulu wasn’t, although he appeared in the _Voyager_ episode “Flashback” and Grace Lee Whitney appeared as Janice Rand. Majel Barrett was in TOS as Nurse Christine Chapel, then took a different part on TNG as Deanna’s mother, Lwaxana Troi. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/33 "2014-09-27T22:54:49Z")
My favorite memory was the first time I watched it with my older brother, who was a fan of TOS but a bit un-enamored with Trek at that point, and he asked, \*\*\*“Why’s that black guy got a Fram air filter on his head?!” \*\*\*😃 ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/34 "2014-09-27T23:15:31Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > Don’t look at this first ep with today’s eyes. Think about what you were thinking and feeling seeing it as it came to your own syndicated TV station each week. What were your impressions, thoughts, worries, excitements? I was eleven years old in 1987 and as I lacked sophistication of any kind I had a pretty uncritical eye. I watched the reruns of TOS whenever possible, read the novels, and I was just excited to see that a new Star Trek series was on the air. As an adult I’ve come to really dislike the first few seasons of the series for being smug. TOS managed to show us a future where humanity was better but they weren’t so goddamned smug about it. In many ways I think TNG has aged worse than TOS. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/35 "2014-09-27T23:20:35Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > My favorite memory was the first time I watched it with my older brother, who was a fan of TOS but a bit un-enamored with Trek at that point, and he asked, \*\*\*“Why’s that black guy got a Fram air filter on his head?!” \*\*\*😃 You know, don’t you, that he was based on a real person? Some Trek fan named George LaForge, who was confined to a wheelchair but was nevertheless made an honorary officer in Starfleet (an admiral, I think). Which, just like in Heinlein’s _ **Starship Troopers** _, shows you can never be too physically challenged to be denied active military service in the Trek Universe!\* 😃 \*And, judging from Reg Barclay, too psychologically challenged either. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/36 "2014-09-27T23:24:13Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > But, I hated McCoy’s cameo. To me, that seemed more of a pathetic ‘passing the torch’. And unnecessary. We were here watching it - we didn’t need handholding. We were ready for the Future. McCoy’s cameo was the _only_ tasteful passing of the torch we saw in Trek history. I include the lame Generations movie, the episode with Scotty, and the last episode of Enterprise. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/37 "2014-09-28T00:05:01Z")
And of course the entire TOS cast, and assorted guest stars appeared in DS9’s “Trials and Tribbleations”. (Which, by the way, some fanboy has combined with “Trouble with Tribbles” to make a definitive “episode”. It’s on you-tube, or at least it was, but I’m too lazy to look up the link.) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/38 "2014-09-28T00:19:49Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Which, by the way, some fanboy has combined with “Trouble with Tribbles” to make a definitive “episode”. For that, you’d need the animated episode “More Tribbles, More Troubles.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hermione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cdc98d/32.png) [@Hermione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermione)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/39 "2014-09-28T00:24:18Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I knew one little girl who hated Geordi because (she said) Levar Burton wouldn’t be able to do _ **Reading Rainbow** _ anymore (I don’t know if she was right or not). Oh, he did. And even centered an episode (the part that didn’t focus on the actual book) on the set of Next Gen. It had some neat bloopers at the end. (Patrick Stewart: We have to beam those people out then!..Now!..Soon!..When I give the order!) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640/40 "2014-09-28T07:08:09Z")
I wasn’t around when it first aired, and didn’t see it until after I’d already seen some later episodes. I think it was still my introduction to Q, though, who I liked. (I hadn’t yet seen Trelane, either. I love the idea that he is a young Q-being.) So the thoughts I remember are as follows: Wow, Picard sure used to be a dick. He hated kids and made Riker fly in manually. Man, Riker looks like a kid without a beard… Oh, so that’s why there was occasionally this blonde headed lady on the bridge. I wonder what happened to her. It was obvious she wasn’t going to die when she was frozen–they wouldn’t do that. Ooh, I love Data’s introduction so much! That space-fence is a pretty neat effect. Wait, is Troi actually being useful? Why is that man being tortured? Oh, I see. What a clever ending. Maybe I should actually try to keep up with the show and see it in order. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sept-28-1987-encounter-at-farpoint/699640.md?page=3)