This guy is SUCH a DICK.
The short recap:
A supreme douchebag wants to disassemble Data.
The long recap:
A supreme douchebag wants to disassemble Data, and loses in the highest court in the starbase.
And that’s about it. There’s no B plot to this episode: from the moment Commander Maddox walks onto the bridge, using “it” pronouns to refer to everyone’s favourite Lieutenant Commander, it’s one extended exploration of the nature of sentience and (though no one says this right until the end) the existence of the soul, specifically Data’s.
He’s such a one-dimensional villain in the “arrogant scientist endangers people because he’s terrified of failure” mold that many of my notes about him are unprintable.
The thing about androids is they can LITERALLY lend you a hand.
Amidst that, Riker has to act against his conscience by playing devil’s advocate against Data, Picard seeks advice from Guinan, Data reveals he’s still adorably sensitive about Tasha’s death, and we meet another of Picard’s exes – the woman who prosecuted his court martial over the destruction of the Stargazer. Awkward, but conveniently timed!
Oh, and there’s a brief poker match in which Data fails to understand bluffing and Pulaski clearly hustles everyone.
In the end, unsurprisingly, Data is found to not be property, because even one of the foremost minds in cybernetics can’t actually explain in simple terms what defines Data as non-sentient. He is magnanimous in victory, telling Maddox that he’s happy to help with his research. Just as soon as it’s, you know, competent.
Oh hey, it’s O’Brien!
Additionally:
- American sci fi is happily fixated on the idea of making the most “rational” or “logical” cast member play poker at some point. Can you imagine Data trying to out-bluff Lennier?
- It would have been interesting to get Pulaski’s perspective on the whole debate, given how much she disliked Data when she first joined the Enterprise.
Points awarded:
- Riker: 2 for repeatedly being able to stand like a normal human being
- Data: 1 for taking the time to ponder whether he’s capable of feeling vanity, while on trial for his life
Listen to Guinan! She is wise!
MVP: Guinan
It seems like an odd episode not to give Data the highest honours for, but I have to go with Whoopi Goldberg’s brilliantly understated performance, basically being the Wise Black Woman who gives the Old White Man a lesson in why slavery was totes bad.
Based on the utterly clunky, patronising moral lessons we’ve been subjected to in previous episodes, this one managed to make its serious points about human rights and dignity without feeling like you were being hit over the head with it.
