Star Trek: The Next Generation's cast became an incredibly well-oiled machine as the show went on, and although guest stars weren't necessarily required to make the show engaging, they did help keep things feeling fresh during its seven-season run. Some temporary additions to the show are more fondly remembered than others, with some being utterly forgettable. However, the latter certainly isn't true for one figure in particular.
John de Lancie Made More Appearances As Q In Star Trek: Picard Than He Did On TNG
Q appeared in one more Picard episode than his TNG total
While John de Lancie has appeared in countless projects both in and away from the sci-fi genre, it's his role as Q in Star Trek: The Next Generation that has turned out to make the most lasting impression. Debuting in the show's very first episode, Q haunted the narrative until the very end. What makes this especially impressive is that out of all 178 episodes of TNG, de Lancie only appeared in 8 of them.
de Lancie managed to beat his TNG episode tally in Picard, and in a much shorter space of time.
John de Lancie Has Played Q More Times After TNG Than He Did During
Q's popularity allowed him to show up throughout the Star Trek timeline
Q is most commonly associated with Star Trek: The Next Generation, as it's the show in which he made his debut, and where fans started to fall in love with the character. John de Lancie's in-universe persona turned out to be such a hit that he ventured outside The Next Generation, too. Now, de Lancie's combined appearances as Q in other Star Trek shows exceed the total number of times he was in TNG.
Q's Presence In Star Trek: Picard Proves How Memorable He Was In TNG
Picard's sequel show chose Q to return for a very good reason
It's pretty much impossible to watch even one scene with John de Lancie as Q and not be enthralled by his performance. Everything he does and says is filled with charisma, and he's just larger-than-life enough to highlight the Stoic nature of Patrick Stewart's character, who, in turn, makes Q seem even more bizarre. The actors' unconventional chemistry aside, Q wound himself so tightly into the Enterprise's arc that it wouldn't have made any sense to leave him out of Star Trek: Picard, despite only appearing in 8 TNG episodes.
Q isn't defined by his relationship with Picard, but it's their scenes in Star Trek: The Next Generation that gave de Lancie's character the chance to shine elsewhere.
Plus, Q also appears in an unusual number of Star Trek shows, which isn't common, even for massive franchise stars. He's also brilliant in all of his non-TNG stories, proving that he can exist as a successful and engaging character away from the dynamic that originally allowed him to thrive. In short, Q isn't defined by his relationship with Picard, but it's their scenes in Star Trek: The Next Generation that gave de Lancie's character the chance to shine elsewhere.
