Jim’s Take on Episode 6: “Q-Less”
“Be of good cheer. I’m back!” It’s Q! On DS9! Obviously the return of our favorite godlike trickster figure is the main attraction here, and we’ll get to that, but there is a lot of other pretty great stuff going on in this episode, despite the fact that Q does get all of the best lines. Naturally! He wouldn’t have it any other way.
I love that “Q-Less” opens on Julian Bashir’s truly heroic telling of his epic, possibly deadly, travails through the utter Hell of…Starfleet Medical Exams. “That is the stuff salutatorians are made of.” If only he hadn’t mistaken a preganglionic fiber for a postganglionic nerve. (Remember this little detail new fans. It may have unexpected relevance years down the road!) Of course, the real highlight of this “Tale to Impress” is the truly awesome side-eye that O’Brien is shooting Bashir’s way throughout the telling. That look is priceless!
The really clever thing about this episode is the way it uses some established and beloved TNG characters to really make a statement about how DS9 and its Commander are different. Remember, at this point, Deep Space Nine is a baby show. It’s the first attempt to follow the massively popular and beloved Star Trek: The Next Generation, which itself had struggled to overcome comparison to the iconic original series. Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the Enterprise-D were icons, not just to Trek fans, but to the general TV viewing public. They caught on more than anybody ever thought they would, and now this new show, that didn’t even have a big cool ship to fly around in, had the temerity to come along and do all this different stuff.
The reason DS9 succeeded is because they decided to go big and not fear comparison. They would be different and proud of it! So, in comes Q, probably the most known and beloved TNG character who was not actually part of the Enterprise crew. And he’s still hanging around with Picard’s old flame, and shady archaeologist, Vash! On the Enterprise, despite Picard’s surly grumbling, the crew basically played along with Q. They gave him what he wanted: Entertainment at their own expense. Q may go on about testing them and teaching them valuable lessons, but the truth was always that he’s just messing with them for his own amusement. He always got everyone’s attention.
O’Brien dismisses him as a “blasted menace”
The crew of this space station is just not having it. They are unimpressed by Q’s antics all the way around. O’Brien dismisses him as a “blasted menace.” Bashir gets to deliver the amazing line, “My god, you’re an impertinent waiter!” But the real test is for Commander Sisko. How will he handle Q? Not like Captain Picard, that’s for sure. His initial reaction to learning Q is on the station is more like someone who’s been told that their least favorite relative has shown up unannounced. When he does face off with Q, he is not the least little bit intimidated, just annoyed and angry. When Q decides to turn this tension into a literal mano-a-mano showdown, with Marquis of Queensbury rules and an astonishingly great moustache, Sisko just hauls off and decks him. The exchange that follows says it all!
“You hit me! Picard never hit me!”
“I’m NOT Picard.”
Q does take some glee in finding the good Commander so much easier to provoke, but it goes a long way towards making a statement that this is not the Enterprise and things will be done differently!
I also can’t help but point out what a renaissance this is for good ol’ Chief Miles O’Brien. We all know that he was not exactly essential to proceedings on the Enterprise, but he is so much the heart of DS9. The fact that both Q and Vash point this out is hilarious! Vash’s “Have we met?” lack of recognition and Q’s dismissive “Weren’t you one of the little people?” are cutting, but reflect the truth. But look at Miles now! He’s the only reason this station keeps “afloat” and he’s one of the best characters on this show. We love you, Miles. (For further humor at O’Brien’s expense, I highly recommend the funny but slightly cruel webcomic, Chief O’Brien at Work. Start at the beginning!) Don’t feel too bad for O’Brien, though. Thanks to Lower Decks, we know he does eventually come to be rightly regarded as the most important person in Starfleet history! As he should be.
Q might be right that Picard and his “lackeys” could have solved this conundrum much more quickly, but our scrappy DS9 underdogs did it with style, passion, and determination. Take that punch to the chin, Q. Benjamin “Benji” Sisko is not here for your nonsense!
Return to Episode 6 Guide
Continue to Rhonda’s Take
Ponderings from the Promenade: A Journey through Star Trek Deep Space Nine 
You must be logged in to post a comment.