Encounter at Farpoint (2-Hour Premiere)

Enroute to Farpoint to survey a mysterious advanced starbase constructed by the primitive Bandi race, the Enterprise encounters Q, a powerful alien who accuses the crew of the past sins of the human race; and once at Farpoint, the crew discovers that the mysterious starbase is really the captured mate of a huge jellyfish-like space creature that can change its physical composition.

The new ship is almost sidetracked perma­nently by a being claiming to be part of an all- knowing super race known as "the Q." This Q, who considers humanity too barbarous to expand further; hijacks Picard's command crew and sentences them to death in a kangaroo court. Picard is able to save their lives only by offering to prove humanity's worth during his ship's up­coming mission to Farpoint. Freed by Q and allowed to arrive there, the crew can find no explanation for the Bandi's mysterious new technology until a vast alien ship appears and opens fire on the old Bandi city. Q tries to goad Picard into firing on the newcomer, but the Enterprise away team finds that the attacker is actually a sentient life-form trying to free its mate from the Bandi's clutches.

Farpoint Station, it turns out, was built entirely by this enslaved creature. As the freed aliens leave the planet, a disappointed Q vows he'll be back to test humanity yet again.