Customer Reviews

Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 85: Data's Day [VHS]

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I love this episode! "Data's Day" is TNG writing at its best. Behind the simple premise lies a very complex character study of the seemingly "emotionless" android, Data. Make no mistake, even though "Data's Day" is charming and very, very funny, it's also quite revealing.

Over the course of the series, Data as a character desparately strives to become more "human." This episode illustrates the point that even though he is an android, Data posesses fundemental traits that define "humanity." He has a great capacity for forgiveness ("Data's Day" is a letter to Bruce Maddox, the man who wanted to deactivate and disect him), compassion (we're introduced to Data's cat, Spot) and friendship. We should all be so human.

"Data's Day" shows up on a lot of TNG Top 10 Best Episode lists. Definitely makes my personal Top 10. All-around great episode. Excellent writing. Spiner's acting is solid as always. Tons of fodder for trivia buffs.

Things to watch for: Spot; The Dancing Doctor; Worf & the crystal swan; Keiko and Miles; and last but not least, The Ersatz Vulcan

Plot: Data is giving a report to Commander Maddox about how he deals with situations on the Enterprise in general, whether relationships (dealing with being Keiko's "father of the bride"), ship operations and missions (Ambassador T'Pau and the Romulans), personal interests (Spot), etc. There techically two sub-plots put into one major plot, essentially combined by hearing Data's personal journal (more or less). One plot is about the Miles O'Brian/Keiko wedding with Data caught inbetween (pretty funny), and the other being involved with the Vulcan Ambassador T'Pau and her mission involving the Romulans.

Watch for some pretty humorous issues, not including: Dr. Crusher past involving tap dancing, Data experimenting with friendly jibes and insults, etc.

Very good episode, with plenty of hilarity and seriousness.

One of my most common criticisms of episodes of Star Trek TNG is when there are too many distinct plot lines. While this episode has two major and two minor story lines, this is one episode where it works. The first major feature is that the Enterprise is transporting Federation Ambassador T'Pel to the neutral zone, where she is to negotiate with the Romulans. T'Pel is Vulcan and her demeanor aboard the Enterprise is strictly Vulcan, which creates some minor problems. When the Enterprise encounters a Romulan Warbird T'Pel prepares to beam aboard the Warbird. Something apparently goes wrong in the beaming and T'Pel is killed.
However, when the transporter is examined, nothing out of the ordinary is found. Data is then forced to apply the Sherlock Holmes dictum that when you eliminate the impossible, what remains, however improbable, must be true. His conclusion is that the Romulans somehow managed to beam T'Pel aboard their ship and kidnap her. Picard immediately goes back and is prepared to fight the Romulans in order to obtain her release. Eventually he learns that T'Pel is in fact a Romulan spy and the Enterprise returns to Federation space.
The second major story line is the imminent wedding of Keiko and Chief O'Brien. Data is scheduled to give the bride away and asks Dr. Crusher to teach him to dance. Crusher agrees and the scenes where they are dancing are some of the best in the series. Keiko also develops a case of cold feet and Data fails in his understanding of the emotional dynamics of the situation. In the end, they are married and Data dances with Keiko after the wedding.
The first minor story line is the origin of the title of the episode. Data is dictating the events of his day in a log to Bruce Maddox, the man who wanted to dismantle Data in "The Measure of a Man." The second minor story line is the birth of a new baby.
This episode demonstrates how humans will remain humans even when they have advanced technologically and are light years from Earth. The emotional dynamics of the wedding have been replayed millions of times. What makes it so interesting in this case is how Data makes mistakes due to lack of understanding and the delightful way he is taught to dance. There is also the imminent danger of destruction at the hands of the Romulans. Once Picard learns that T'Pel was probably kidnapped, he risks the near certain destruction of the Enterprise at the hands of the Romulans in an attempt to obtain her release. The combination of life going on and yet the possibility of it ending at any moment makes this one of the very best episodes in the series.