Star Trek: The Next Generation was the first Trek series that I was exposed to. Space travel immediately grabbed my science loving brain and I was hooked pretty quickly.

What kept me enthralled, however, was the idea that in the future the whole Earth would be united and that even though struggles would always come our way as humans, that peace and tolerance would rule our planet.

My entries in this celebration of the 35 years of TNG are Commander Riker and Q. Commander Riker’s devotion to Captain Picard and enduring love for Deanna makes him the model of a good man to me. Even though he’s a bit of a womanizer, he’s caring and thoughtful and charming in a way that makes his advances towards women flattering (or so it seems to me).

Q is quite the opposite, but such an intriguing antagonist. He’s full of himself and unruly, but funny. Through the course of Trek, we watch him go on quite the journey and, I think, come out a better Q.