Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Star Trek: The Next Generation
S2.E16
All episodes
All
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Q Who

  • Episode aired May 6, 1989
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 46m
IMDb RATING
8.9/10
4.3K
YOUR RATING
Patrick Stewart and John de Lancie in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Sci-Fi
Q tries to prove that Picard needs him as part of their crew by hurling the Enterprise 7,000 light years away where they encounter the Borg for the first time.Q tries to prove that Picard needs him as part of their crew by hurling the Enterprise 7,000 light years away where they encounter the Borg for the first time.Q tries to prove that Picard needs him as part of their crew by hurling the Enterprise 7,000 light years away where they encounter the Borg for the first time.
IMDb RATING
8.9/10
4.3K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Rob Bowman
  • Writers
    • Gene Roddenberry
    • Maurice Hurley(showrunner)
    • Melinda M. Snodgrass(story editor)
  • Stars
    • Patrick Stewart
    • Jonathan Frakes
    • LeVar Burton
Top credits
  • Director
    • Rob Bowman
  • Writers
    • Gene Roddenberry
    • Maurice Hurley(showrunner)
    • Melinda M. Snodgrass(story editor)
  • Stars
    • Patrick Stewart
    • Jonathan Frakes
    • LeVar Burton
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 17User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro

    • Photos32

    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, and Brent Spiner in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
    Costume design illustration for "BORG"

    Top cast

    Edit
    Patrick Stewart
    Patrick Stewart
    • Capt. Jean-Luc Picardas Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
    Jonathan Frakes
    Jonathan Frakes
    • Cmdr. William Rikeras Cmdr. William Riker
    LeVar Burton
    LeVar Burton
    • Lt. Geordi La Forgeas Lt. Geordi La Forge
    Michael Dorn
    Michael Dorn
    • Lt. Worfas Lt. Worf
    Marina Sirtis
    Marina Sirtis
    • Counselor Deanna Troias Counselor Deanna Troi
    Brent Spiner
    Brent Spiner
    • Lt. Cmdr. Dataas Lt. Cmdr. Data
    Wil Wheaton
    Wil Wheaton
    • Wesley Crusheras Wesley Crusher
    John de Lancie
    John de Lancie
    • Qas Q
    • (as John deLancie)
    Lycia Naff
    Lycia Naff
    • Ensign Sonya Gomezas Ensign Sonya Gomez
    Colm Meaney
    Colm Meaney
    • Chief Miles O'Brienas Chief Miles O'Brien
    Whoopi Goldberg
    Whoopi Goldberg
    • Guinanas Guinan
    Majel Barrett
    Majel Barrett
    • Enterprise Computeras Enterprise Computer
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Rob Bowman
    Rob Bowman
    • Borgas Borg
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Michael Braveheart
    • Crewman Martinezas Crewman Martinez
    • (uncredited)
    Maurice Hurley
    • Borgas Borg
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Tim Trella
    Tim Trella
    • Borgas Borg
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Rob Bowman
    • Writers
      • Gene Roddenberry
      • Maurice Hurley(showrunner)
      • Melinda M. Snodgrass(story editor)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Borg were originally conceived as being a race of insects (as featured in the previous season's Conspiracy (1988)). Budget restrictions meant that the decision was made to go with cyborgs instead. Nevertheless Q Who still went $50,000 over budget. Insectoid races would appear as enemies in the subsequent series Star Trek: Voyager (1995) and Star Trek: Enterprise (2001).
    • Goofs
      As Guinan warns Picard to protect the Enterprise from the Borg, Picard orders the shields raised. Moments later, even though the shields are active, the Borg beam over. Considering that they are technologically much more advanced, it is conceivable that they may have found a way to transport through shields.
    • Quotes

      Capt. Picard: I understand what you've done here, Q. But I think the lesson could have been learned without the loss of 18 members of my crew.

      Q: If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But it's not for the timid.

    • Crazy credits
      The episode's credits begin a full minute after the theme music.
    • Alternate versions
      To fit more commercial time, BBC America cuts bits and scenes from episodes. In their edit for this episode, the final conversation between Guinan and Picard while played chess is completely excised.
    • Connections
      Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes (2014)
    • Soundtracks
      Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title
      Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

    User reviews17

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Meet the Borg
    Two recurrent entities share this particular Star Trek TNG episode. John DeLancie the scamp of the Universe known as Q whisks Patrick Stewart away from the Enterprise for a bit of heart to heart. He warns them of unknown and unimaginable dangers and when Captain Picard is back on the Enterprise, DeLancie hurls the Enterprise 7000 light years away where they encounter the relentless and monolithic Borg for the first time.

    It's quite an encounter with this square shaped space ship handled by a crew of half carbon based humanoids and half robotic all part of the same mind and obeying one will. All the Borg want is technology. To try it, absorb it and absorb those who have it in their singular collective.

    This was the first of many encounters with the Borg in this and subsequent Star Trek franchise series. Memorable it is.
    helpful•10
    1
    • bkoganbing
    • May 4, 2018

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 6, 1989 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      46 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    Image caption not available
    2:02
    LGBTQIA+ Movies and Shows to Watch This Summer
    Watch the video

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.