Product Details

• Actors: LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden
• Directors: LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, Gabrielle Beaumont, Robert Becker, Cliff Bole
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English, French
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Paramount Home Video
• VHS Release Date: March 19, 1996
• Run Time: 92 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302105854
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,920 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The two-hour pilot of The Next Generation holds up well after all these years and many, many subsequent episodes and four feature films. Gene Roddenberry's second go-round with Star Trek on television boldly goes where no other soul had gone, overcoming Trekker skepticism at the time about new characters and a new cast. After introducing Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the rest of the crew, the script by Roddenberry and former Star Trek story editor Dorothy Fontana plunges them into a familiar Trek confrontation with a superior power, Q (John De Lancie), in a weirdly archaic setting drawn from Earth history (in this case, the bloody kangaroo courts of Robespierre's day). Declaring mankind barbarous and unworthy of existence, Q gives Picard 24 hours to prove humans are not just a "grievously savage race." The story is punctuated with various delights, particularly first meetings between the characters (watch for Riker's houndish introduction to Dr. Crusher) and a surprise cameo from a Trek icon. There are bumps: originally shot as a 90-minute special, "Encounter" had to be padded a bit (ergo the ship separation scene) to make it two hours. --Tom Keogh

From the Back Cover

Beam aboard the "Galaxy Class" Starship Enterprisefor the classic, feature-length premiere episode of the acclaimed TV series, Star Trek: The Next Generation.

While on a peacekeeping mission to the Farpoint station, the Enterprise is overtaken by a godlike adversary, "Q," who places the crew on trial for crimes perpetrated by mankind.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) has just 24 hours to convince Q that humans are not a "grievously savage race." If Picard fails, he and his crew must face Q's sentence: death.

A thrilling first adventure in space for Star Trek: the Next Generation.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It introduced us to so many characters and yet told a story, May 18, 2004

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episodes 1 & 2: Encounter at Farpoint, Parts I & II (Premiere) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Had I written a review of this episode shortly after it came out, it would not have been nearly as positive as this one. In viewing it again, I am struck at how well the two "unusual" characters of Q and Data are introduced. While to outward appearances he is human, Data is an android and we are immediately made aware of that as well as some of his "failings." Simple things such as whistling and humor are beyond his capacity at this time.
The outstanding feature is the introduction of one of the best characters to ever appear in a television series, Q, the impish God. Without question, he is a god, possessing mighty powers and yet he is using them to determine the worthiness of humanity to explore the stars. After the dark, foreboding and sometimes bloody descriptions of God in much of our religious literature, it is a pleasure to see one who puns and tests us with puzzles rather than in how well we slaughter our enemies. Of secondary interest is the mention of the Ferengi, although they are described as a people who eat those who displease them.
Dr. McCoy of the original series makes an appearance as an admiral, inspecting the medical facilities of the Enterprise. He is as irascible as ever, yet he also praises the Vulcans as an honorable race, worthy of respect. Data escorts him while he is on the Enterprise, and their conversation is one of the classics in the entire Star Trek genre.
The Enterprise crew gets together and their mission is to investigate Farpoint Station, a structure constructed with unusual rapidity by a people who wish to have the Federation use it as a star base. On the way to Farpoint, they encounter Q and we are introduced to the plot device where the saucer and weapons sections can be separated. This was not extensively used in subsequent episodes, which was unfortunate. Given that families are now on starships, it is my belief that such separations would be standard practice when there is the reasonable expectation of hostilities.
Q creates a courtroom whose spectators are survivors of an atomic holocaust. Humanity is put on trial through the crew of the Enterprise and then they are let free to continue their mission. When the Enterprise arrives at Farpoint, things are not what they appear to be. When the leader of the people who built Farpoint is questioned, he professes ignorance, yet it is clear he knows what is happening. Another "ship" arrives and begins bombarding the city near Farpoint. Rather than immediately firing on the new arrival, Picard seeks information and learns that the "ship" is in fact an intelligent entity that is trying to free its' mate, which has been transformed into Farpoint. By firing energy of the proper form into Farpoint, the Enterprise heals the creature and it frees itself. Q is impressed by this and announces that humanity has passed the test.
Given that there was very little to build on, this episode effectively introduces much of what is arguably the greatest television series ever. Therefore, it can also be considered the best episode of the series.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The ST:TNG pilot episode..., August 4, 2001

By 

Alaria (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episodes 1 & 2: Encounter at Farpoint, Parts I & II (Premiere) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The U.S.S Enterprise, captained by Jean-Luc Picard, is on a routine investigative mission to Farpoint Station when they encounter an enigmatic, god-like individual known simply as Q. The omnipotent being appears to have no other intention other than to cause trouble and immediately places Picard and his senior officers on trial for the crimes of humanity...

Encounter of Farpoint is not among the best of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes - it merely serves as a necessary starting point for a TV programme that took until its third series to display the type of quality we associate it with. Characters are introduced; past relationships are established (although it does take 178 episodes, seven series, three movies and eleven years for anything to come of it in the case of Riker and Troi). This is a must-have for any fan of the series - watching "Encounter at Farpoint" and comparing it to later episodes will allow you to see just how far the characters - Picard, Riker, Troi, Dr Crusher, Data, Worf, La Forge and Yar - have evolved and how the show as a whole changed over time.

~*Jenna*~

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Its the beginning, October 26, 1999

By 

Abby - See all my reviews

This review is from: Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episodes 1 & 2: Encounter at Farpoint, Parts I & II (Premiere) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

So, alot of the details have yet to be worked out by cast and crew, the acting can be a little forced, but all these are problems of the first episodes of any tv show. Overall, these eps are a must see as to understand ST:TNG, you gotta get Encounter at Farpoint. It is interesting to learn how all the characters relate to eachother.