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  • T: Encounter at Farpoint
  • A: TNG
  • N: 1x01/02
  • P: 40271-941
  • C: 106
  • D: 28
  • M: September
  • Y: 1987
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Images of the station?[]

I couldn't believe it when I found that there were no pictures of Farpoint Station or the aliens, on MA :) Zsingaya Talk 10:53, 24 Sep 2005 (UTC)

Expand summary?[]

The summary seems very slim to me, compared to most other episodes. It should be expanded, no? PrognosisNegative 20:54, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

New Background notes[]

There were a number of new background notes recently added to this article:

  • In the very final scene is the only time Tasha Yar can be seen wearing the skirt style uniform.

It is specific to this episode. Nothing wrong with this, I am leaving it alone.

  • Deanna Troi wears standard uniform in the pilot, she would not do so again until the 6th season's "Chain of Command". She is also referred to by her rank.

This really effects more than one episode, in fact it is over most of the series. Therefore, I think it belongs in the article Deanna Troi. After looking at that article, I find a note on this is already there. I am removing it from here.

  • In the pilot, as well as early in the first season, the forward bridge consoles don't seem to be delegated specifically to either helm control or operations since Data, the operations manager, can be seen in both the left and right stations at different times

Since this effects an entire season, and not just this episode, I feel it more belongs in the article Galaxy-class, specifically as a note on the section of the bridge. I am moving it there. --OuroborosCobra 19:40, 25 June 2006 (UTC)

TV Version[]

In the TV version, Encounter at Farpoint has a teaser, and some parts (such as the part where LT. j.g. Worf talks to the engenier about the warp drive and much more) are missing. --67.170.207.109 21:12, 16 May 2007 (UTC)

This is probably not the "TV version", but rather the version displayed on Spike TV. Spike is well known to cut scenes from episodes and edit them to make more room for commercials. --OuroborosCobra talk 03:58, 17 May 2007 (UTC)
No, this is not the TV version, but the syndicated version where the pilot is split into two 45-minute episodes. Therefore, some scenes had to be removed to free some time for the beginning and end credits, "last time on Star Trek" preview, etc. --Ltarex 20:32, 16 October 2009 (CET)
Two of the larger cuts from the Spike TV version versus the full version are the discussion between Picard and Crusher in Sick Bay in Part 2, and Riker watching the video recapping earlier events in Part 1. However, SyFy does not make the same cuts, as was seen when this episode, as well as other ones, were shown during marathons. LReyomeXX 03:34, March 17, 2011 (UTC)

Incomplete Summary?[]

Why is this episode's summary considered incomplete? It seems well fleshed-out to me, and I don't see anything on the talk page addressing this. If no one objects, I'll remove the template.

--Commodore Sixty-Fourtalk 09:50, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

Oops, it looks like the very first comment addresses it. My bad. Still, I think it merits more discussion.

--C64

Inconsistency[]

Has anyone ever noticed when Yar, Troi, La Forge, Riker, & Data are exploring the caves/caverns below the city, there's about 7 humanoid shadows on the wall? 65.74.126.49 09:43, 26 November 2007 (UTC)

Old Background Notes[]

# Colm Meaney (Miles O'Brien) and John de Lancie (Q) are the only actors, besides the regulars, to appear in both this episode and the finale "All Good Things...". However, Denise Crosby (Tasha Yar), who left the cast in "Skin of Evil" and was therefore not a regular at the time of the finale, also appeared in both episodes.

This is phrased beyond poorly. It should either be streamlines to simply include Denise Crosby as one of the three (next to Meaney, and De Lancie), or she should be removed from the reference all together. As is, it reads remarkably poorly.

# Colm Meaney is the only non-regular to appear in both the pilots and finales of TNG and DS9.

"Only non-regular" implies that there was a regular who appeared, all inclusive style, in the TNG, and DS9 premiers, and the TNG, and DS9 finales. If there was no "regular" who did what Colm Meaney did (and I can think of none), it should be changed to read something to the effect of "...is the only actor to appear in both the pilots, and finales of...".

Both of these read vary poorly, and even if there is some justification for them... which I'm anticipating, which is why I bring this to the discussion page, instead of simply changing them... they should be reworded. Thoughts? Hossrex 10:02, 26 November 2007 (UTC)

I agree with the second change, but the first involving Denise Crosby doesn't read poorly to me. To move her with de Lancie and Meaney would imply she was never a regular... which, of course, isn't true. To remove her altogether is out of the question, really, because that would simply be ignoring the fact that she appeared in both the pilot and the finale. That said, I'll see if I can't rephrase it better. --From Andoria with Love 17:56, 26 November 2007 (UTC)

The changes you've made sound good to me. Thanks for listening. Hossrex 22:39, 26 November 2007 (UTC)

Syndicated "Last time on ..." different?[]

I'm watching part 2 right now on Space and instead of Majel Roddenberry's voice saying "Last time on Star Trek: The Next Generation..." there was a man's voice (don't know whose) that said "Last time on Encounter at Farpoint..." and I'm not sure if this is heard on other channels, but is this a notable thing? --Blastermant 20:07, 25 August 2009 (UTC)

Production History Question[]

I see that the listed airdate for the episode is Sept. 28, 1987. Since the show was syndicated and therefore aired at various dates that week across the country, (and for that matter, around the world), shouldn't the airdate for this episode and all subsequent TNG and DS9 episodes state "Week of..." instead of an actual date like "Week of Sept. 28, 1987?" Cause "Encounter at Farpoint" didn't air until October 3, 1987 where I live and that's the day I count as TNG's anniversary. Any thoughts? leandar 03:01, October 7, 2009 (UTC)

Should be whenever it was first aired as that's when the actual airdate is...doesn't matter where or when. — Morder (talk) 03:05, October 7, 2009 (UTC)

Do we know for sure if it was aired on that date somewhere? That date, as best as I recall, was a Monday. I'd be hard pressed to believe some of the stations at that time would preempt programming (especially if it was a network station) to air TNG. If they did, cool. I just had to wonder I guess. lol leandar 03:08, October 7, 2009 (UTC)

I'm sure whoever posted it got it from a source. StarTrek.com probably has all the official airdates. — Morder (talk) 03:09, October 7, 2009 (UTC)

Yeah, it does. I just checked. It still seems like they should say "Week of..." but I guess it works out alright without it. Thanks anyway for the info. leandar 03:14, October 7, 2009 (UTC)

We don't use the "week of" stuff, since it only actually applies to TNG, DS9, and VOY. TOS and Enterprise had very specific air dates for their stuff. The general idea of that airdate is a premiere anyhow. Some markets just don't get stuff at the same time as others (for whatever silly reason). And yes, we went through a whole discussion on this a couple of years ago when we standardized the episode page styles. -- sulfur 03:51, October 7, 2009 (UTC)

Continuity[]

  • A similar continuity issue potentially arises with Dr. Crusher's statement to Riker that her duties and interests are "outside the command structure." The subsequent episodes "Remember Me" and "Descent" establish her competence to command, and later still (in "Thine Own Self") we learn that Crusher took the Bridge Officer's Test voluntarily and actually enjoys taking the bridge occasionally. However, this could simply indicate a change in Crusher's duties and interests over time, possibly related in some way to her leaving the Enterprise in the second season to become the head of Starfleet Medical.

Agreed with the second half - this isn't a continuity issue — Morder (talk) 17:01, October 30, 2009 (UTC)

Image[]

Riker watched footage of Q's visit

One insert in that scene looks like it was taken from an SD source.

What is the point of this uncited and poorly named image? What part of it "looks" like it was taken from an SD source? Do we know either way for sure? Can we get a comparison shot? - Archduk3 22:25, February 4, 2012 (UTC)

I've renamed it but cannot say anything to the SDvHD source argument. -- sulfur 17:43, February 5, 2012 (UTC)
In the clipshow that Riker views on the battle bridge, only this short sequence is noticeably different because SD footage had to be used. If you look at the whole sequence Riker views, you'll notice all footage appears exactly like that earlier in the episode. Only the short sequence seen on the screenshot is a little different. It's the footage of Q, wearing the Christopher Columbus costume, saying "Go back, or thou shall most certainly die". All the other footage that Riker views on the monitor is actually footage from earlier in the episode, so just that footage could be used, when it was replayed on the viewscreen. But this is different for the footage of Q as Columbus uttering the sentence "Go back, or thou shall most certainly die". In the actual scene earlier in the episode, while Q is saying "Go back", the shot is an over the angle shot, focusing on Picard and only showing Qs back. The shot then switches to Q, while he utters "or thou shall most certainly die." The original footage of Q saying that sentence can be found between 0:06:52 to 0:06:56 on the Blu-ray. In the footage Riker views, the whole footage is shown from Picard's point of view, so Q is seen making the whole statement from Picard's point of view. On the Blu-ray, this can be found between 0.37:35 and 0:37:38. As this footage is the only footage that differs from the sequence earlier in the episode, it was apparently decided to upscale the footage to HD instead of digging through the archives to find the relevant sequence. --Jörg 17:54, February 5, 2012 (UTC)

Nitpick[]

    • Wesley Crusher fell into water on the holodeck, and emerged from the holodeck soaking wet. As the water is only part of the simulation, it cannot exist outside the holodeck, so Wesley should not have been wet outside of the holodeck.

Removed as a nitpick.--31dot 22:26, March 7, 2012 (UTC)

Warp 9.8[]

In this episode, The Enterprise-D travels at warp 9.8. is this the fastest a federation starship has gone without modification?

No, the USS Voyager was built with an engine that was designed for 9.975 without modification. --Pseudohuman (talk) 16:49, January 4, 2013 (UTC)

Missing scenes?[]

I watched this episode on NetFlix and I'm sure there are missing scenes. Those scenes are also not described on this wiki page.

Isn't it true that:

  • There's a scene where Troi explains to Picard that she and Rikker have a history?
  • There's a scene where Picard explains to Rikker that he will call him "number one"?

I didn't just dream those scenes, did I? I'm sure I've seen them. Where are they?

69.243.29.99 16:25, May 14, 2013 (UTC)

The only scene where Troi and "Riker"'s relationship is discussed is when Picard introduces them to each other after leaving his ready room. Troi speaks telepathically to Riker about their relationship; aloud they only state that they knew each other. I don't believe there is any scene discussing what Picard will call Riker. 31dot (talk) 20:09, May 14, 2013 (UTC)
I just recently watched this episode again, and 31dot is right about the mention of Troi and Riker's relationship. Regarding Picard calling Riker "number one", I think you were remembering a scene from another episode. If I'm not mistaken, there is a reference to it later in the series. But I can't recall off hand which episode it appears in, though. --Knglerxst (talk) 02:13, May 21, 2013 (UTC)knglerxst

The Troi/Picard scene I was thinking about was from "All Good Things...". The "Number One" scene I was thining about was probably from "Disaster." 69.243.29.99 14:01, June 3, 2013 (UTC)

Image of saucer separation technically isn't.[]

The image that's labeled as the saucer separation is actually from when the Enterprise is reconnected. It should thus be moved down in the summary and/or replaced. Captain Spadaro (talk) 01:44, June 29, 2015 (UTC)

Removed[]

I've removed the following note, as it's not really relevant to this episode in particular but, instead, to the series of TNG in general: "Dennis McCarthy composed his own theme tune for the series, incorporating some of Alexander Courage's fanfare for Star Trek: The Original Series into the introduction. Gene Roddenberry did not like the result, however, and decided to keep the introductory section of McCarthy's theme, but have Jerry Goldsmith's theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture as the show's main theme tune." --Defiant (talk) 08:48, September 9, 2017 (UTC)

idioms[]

Removed:

Mostly dumb. MA:NOT. So forth. –Gvsualan (talk) 15:27, 2 November 2021 (UTC)

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