Customer Reviews

Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 14: Datalore [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In this episode, the Enterprise goes to the planet where Data was created. While there, they discover Data's "brother" Lore -- an android created before Data and who looks exactly like Data. It soon becomes apparent that Lore is not the sweet and innocent android that Data is as Lore attempt to destroy the Enterprise the same way he destroyed his creators.

This marks the first of many appearances of Lore.

I LIKE first season TNG episodes. Yes, they're often rough in their acting and production quality; but their storylines are often more interesting than in later series, where there was a slick, by-the-numbers feel to everything. And yes, "Datalore" has some terrible dialogue and plot holes big enough to fly the Enterprise through, but I still give it four stars - that's for the importance this episode has in the TNG universe, and for the sheer fun of it.
Since they are in the area, Picard sends an away team to visit Omicron Theta, the planet that Data was found on. Once down, the away team discover that the whole planet is dead and deserted - but they also discover a secret, underground facility. Inside, Data finds himself remembering that this is the place where he was constructed, and even the name of his creator. A search of a laboratory reveals the pieces of another android that is physically identical to Data. Data insists on returning the other android to the Enterprise and assembling him, with Picard's support. And so Lore is brought to life.
Lore soons shows himself to be very different to Data, dangerously so. He has emotions and, despite his naivete, an understanding of humans that Data lacks. He claims that he was contructed to replace Data, being an advancement on his emotionless brother; but he later admits to Data that Data was made to replace HIM because everyone found his humanity and perfection uncomfortable. Or is that, too, a lie? Lore reaches out to Data, in his own twisted way, and is rejected. So Lore decides that he wants what Data has - at least for a little while, until he can organise his revenge. By the end of the episode, the mystery of what happened on Omicron Theta is explained (if you don't think about it too hard, that is) and Lore is gone - until next time, anyway.
I wish it had been someone other than Wesley who had been so pivotal in this episode, but you can't have everything, I suppose. Troi is absent altogether, for obvious reasons. And everyone else seems very, very dim. Production values are pretty clunky, and the music can be annoying. But it's the fun of the storyline and acting that carry this episode along.
Brent Spiner is great as Data, Lore, and Lore-masquerading-as-Data. He brings Lore to life in all his vicious insanity, but still manages to make him more than the stereotypical evil twin. There are some great moments in this episode: the look on Data's face as Lore tells him not to be jealous of him; the look on Lore's face when he realises that Data has more loyalty to the Enterprise crew than to him; the moment when everyone tells Wesley to shut up; and Worf finding out just how inadequate he is against an android.
It's a pity that this episode took the easy way out in the end. Lore does the stereotypical mad criminal thing and overreaches himself because of his desire to hurt and terrorise, rather than being defeated by superior skill. The consequences to Data of his appearance and disappearance are not dealt with at all, and the jokey ending grates. As Brent Spiner's portrayal of him shows, Lore deserved more than being just another cardboard cutout villain, and it's unfortunate that the writers of the series did not have the courage to make his character more than that.
If you're willing to suspend some disbelief and not think about it too deeply, this is a fun, as well as important, episode.

The premise of this episode is one of the oldest in human literature, that of the evil twin. Proving once again that Star Trek often attempts to look ahead by looking back. In this case, it is Data that has an evil twin, found in pieces when the Enterprise travels back to the planet where Data was found. There are also hints of the crystalline entity, a creature that appears to subsist by devouring life.
When the Enterprise arrives at the planet, it is completely devoid of life, although a research lab is still intact. Lore is found, taken back to the ship and reconstructed. Once he is together, Lore "awakens" and immediately begins plotting to allow the crystalline entity to penetrate the Enterprise and consume the life on board. He is foiled by the efforts of Wesley Crusher, who seems to be the only one who recognizes that Lore is impersonating Data.
There are so many logical holes and inconsistencies in this episode that it becomes a strain to watch. The most amazing is the way that Captain Picard treats Wesley. In the previous episode, "The Big Goodbye", Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher are trapped inside the holodeck due to a computer error. Wesley is allowed to participate in the rescue attempt; in fact he is the sole person examining the circuitry, searching for the flaw. Yet, in this episode, when Wesley voices his concern that the android is in fact Lore impersonating Data, Picard's solution is to yell, "Shut up Wesley!" Riker's behavior is almost as bad, paying no attention to what Wesley is trying to say. At the end, when it is clear that Wesley has in fact saved the ship and the lives of everyone on board, the only thing Picard can say to Wesley is, "Are you ready to return to duty?" This is completely inconsistent with the established patterns of behavior, as Wesley has established himself as one of the most capable members of the crew.
The only thing that saves the episode is the excellent performance of Brent Spiner as both Data and Lore. As a consequence of his giving Lore a facial tic and slightly different mannerisms, we always know which one is on the screen. Unfortunately, if we can see it, it should have been obvious to the crew of the Enterprise as well. Fortunately, Lore is defeated in a way that allowed for a logically consistent return in future episodes. Despite this bad start, his appearance in future episodes yields much better stories.

In "Datalore," Star Trek: The Next Generation tried its hand at the time-tested evil-twin story by introducing viewers to version 1.0 of the series' beloved positronic-brained android. This episode provided the same opportunity to explore the dual nature of the psyche like "The Enemy Within" did during the run of the original series. Sadly though, the doppelganger didn't demand to be given brandy this time around - more proof that the 23rd century was a much more fun time period than the 24th.

While trying to solve the mystery behind the mysterious disappearance of a colony in the Omicron Theta star system, the crew of the Enterprise-D discover a disassembled android in a laboratory. When assembled the android proves to be an exact duplicate of Data (Brent Spiner). It turns out the android named Lore (Spiner in a dual role) was created before Data but was shut down when he encountered difficulties co-existing with the colonists. It soon comes to light that there is a sinister connection between the reactivated android and the disappearance of the colonists.

Brent Spiner is assigned double-duty with this episode and he admirably pulls off the difficult task of playing the twin androids. Although similar in appearance, Spiner infuses both Data and Lore with personas so distinct that you never confuse the two of them. While Lore's facial twitch and use of contractions seem to be contrived and convenient story devices, the novelty of watching a dark version of Data is so amusing that it helps to temper the weaknesses in the story. Wisely, Lore is dispatched in a manner that leaves the door open for further appearances. His return in future seasons would contribute immensely to the continued development of Data.

Datalore

Data's Evil Twin

It could've been disastrous in any other science fiction show; Next Generation pulls this one off with ease. Roddenberry must have been the mastermind behind this one. Although, I wonder if "Tribbles" writer and unofficial Next Gen CO-creator David Gerrold was involved.

Data was constructed after Lore, his brother. Lore didn't exactly get along with the colonists on his home world. He wants Data to join him in his quest to command and conquer the universe. "Datalore" will always be remembered as a fan favorite. We get to see an android find his "human qualities." Brent Spinner as Data chews the scenery in one of his best performances.

This is one of the best data episodes ever made. Brent Spiner plays both Data and Lore, so you get to see him more. Not only does this episode shed some light on Data's creation but it is also a hilarious episode! The whole sneezing thing made my laugh out loud. If you don't own this, you're really missing out on something special. No Data fan should be without this tape!